Battle for supremacy beyond Rift Valley and Mt Kenya
Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki (left) and his Kilifi counterpart Stewart Madzayo speak to journalists in Mombasa on September 12, 2022.
President-elect William Ruto appears to have cast his net beyond his Rift Valley and Mt Kenya strongholds by delivering the highly coveted Speaker posts to Coast and Western regions.
With former Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi from Coast clinching the Senate Speaker seat and Moses Wetang’ula from Western getting the National Assembly post, Dr Ruto sent a clear signal that he is keen to bring the two regional blocks on board.
Even though Coast and Western are seen as leaning towards Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party, Kenya Kwanza Alliance enjoyed significant support in the areas in the August 9 polls.
Coast’s political vulnerability has been thought to emanate from the absence of a regional kingpin. Governance expert Javas Bigambo said that, by reaching out to Coast and Western, Dr Ruto is out to reduce Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga’s political influence in the two regions.
Two years before the 2022 elections, Dr Ruto sustained a heavy presence at the coast, presiding over numerous fund-raisers besides other public engagements.
“During his campaigns, Dr Ruto also painted Mr Odinga as a politician who cannot keep promises. By pushing to have Mr Kingi and Mr Wetangula become Speakers, Dr Ruto sought to show voters in their regions that he was keen on honouring his pre-election agreements,” said Mr Bigambo.
Former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko, whose entry in Coast politics sparked excitement, said based on the assurances he got from his foot soldiers in the region during his campaigns, Dr Ruto managed to increase his vote score from what Jubilee garnered in the 2017 elections.
Mr Sonko, who joined Dr Ruto’s camp in July, said Coast leaders are in a spirited fight to wrest the region from Mr Odinga’s grip.
And, by Dr Ruto fulfilling his campaign promises for the Coast region, Mr Sonko sees in it a master stroke that would kill two birds with one stone.
First, it could slice a chunk of the Coast vote from Azimio and tilt it in favour of Kenya Kwanza. Secondly, it would help Kenya Kwanza to woo Coast in future presidential elections.
Political analyst Martin Nyaga said alliances at the national level would impact Coast region’s political arithmetic.
“By dishing out these positions, Dr Ruto is intent on showing he is a man of his words,” Mr Nyaga said. Yesterday, Coast senators who defied a walkout by their camp to elect Mr Kingi as Speaker said they had no option but to support the former governor after Mr Musyoka withdrew his bid.
“We tried our best to convince the clerk of the Senate to suspend the exercise after [Mr Musyoka] withdrew hence we were left with no choice but to vote for our own after other senators walked out,” Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki.
Kilifi’s Swetart Madzayo refuted claims that they are working with Kenya Kwanza, saying, they are still in Azimio and they will continue to push for the coalition’s agenda in the Senate.
