Ruto's allies dismiss new political dynasty by Uhuru, Raila and Moi

Gideon Moi meets Western leaders
Photo credit: Eric Matara | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Political pundits say the coming together of Jubilee, ODM, Kanu and Wiper leaders is reminiscent of the 2002 Narc Coalition that ended Kanu’s stranglehold on power.
  • Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua said former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, who is being fronted as Mt Kenya’s representative in the coalition, “is politically tired, unsellable and an outright rejection material”.
  • The Gikuyu, Embu and Meru Association (Gema) chairman Lawi Imathiu insisted voters must, without any form of coercion, be allowed to decide their political destiny.

Deputy President William Ruto’s allies in Mt Kenya have dismissed the tripartite political union of President Uhuru Kenyatta, ODM leader Raila Odinga and Kanu chairman Gideon Moi, describing it as a spectre of dynastic leaders out to block his march to State House.

Political pundits say the coming together of Jubilee, ODM, Kanu and Wiper leaders is reminiscent of the 2002 Narc Coalition that ended Kanu’s stranglehold on power and could produce a new political momentum akin to the crowd-pulling Orange movement of the 2005 referendum.

The political parties are united by the argument that the current purely presidential system is not the best for a country as ethnically divided as Kenya, and that there is a need to tinker with the Executive’s structure.

But Jubilee Party politicians allied to Dr Ruto said the much denounced dynasty tag, a key campaign plank of the Deputy President in the 2022 politics, is now coming out of the shadows for Kenyans to witness.

Dr Ruto’s initial targets when the narrative was coined were some of those expected to be his key challengers in the next presidential election, notably Mr Odinga and Mr Moi, who is Baringo senator.

"Nothing new"

Mr Odinga is the son of Kenya’s first Vice President Oginga Odinga, who served as Kenyatta’s senior deputy for three years before breaking away to become Kenya’s pioneer opposition leader in 1966.

Mr Moi is a son of retired President Daniel arap Moi, and is working hard to eat into the DP’s rock solid community support base in the Rift Valley.

“There is nothing new about the team that has transformed Cotu boss Francis Atwoli’s Kajiado home into a dynasty forte. You look at the faces around the scheme and you feel very sorry for it. We dare them to formalise their union and present themselves as our competitors,” Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro told the Nation on phone.

“We should see them in open forums in Mt Kenya, preaching what they are declaring in Atwoli’s home. Mt Kenya voters do not reside in the Cotu boss’ home,” he added.

Kandara MP Alice Wahome laughed off Mr Murathe’s newfound boldness to speak for Mt Kenya voters “despite the fact that behind him stands no single voter”.

The Gikuyu, Embu and Meru Association (Gema) chairman Lawi Imathiu insisted voters must, without any form of coercion, be allowed to decide their political destiny.

"We should have an open mind in this political game. Let them all come with their groupings and the voters be given their democratic space to make their decision," he said.

Murathe’s boldness

Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua said former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, who has been part of those holding closely-guarded meetings with various power brokers at private homes and is being fronted as Mt Kenya’s representative in the coalition, “is politically tired, unsellable and an outright rejection material”.

Mr Rigathi also tore into Jubilee Vice Chairman David Murathe who is “endorsing personalities haphazardly” as the face of failure in the political coalition being mooted.

“Mr Murathe has made it his business to endorse presidential candidates left, right and centre. It has become an outbreak in his mind — that of endorsing. He started by endorsing Musalia Mudavadi, changed tune to Mr Odinga and recently he was endorsing Peter Kenneth and Peter Munya. We wonder how confused a political personality can get,” Mr Gachagua said.

Political logic

But the President’s loyalists in the region, led by Gatanga MP Nduati Ngugi, Maragua’s Mary Wa Maua and former MP Elias Mbau, dismissed the Tangatanga wing as “rebels without a cause”.

Ms Wa Maua told them to concentrate on selling their candidate without minding too much what is happening in a camp they have no entitlement to.

“You do not go to a market to sell your goat and instead of highlighting the strengths in that goat, you start dismissing others on sale as unfit and not worth getting bought. Sell your product and let others sell theirs,” she said.

Mr bau defended Mr Murathe and Mr Kenneth as “personalities carrying the future of the Mt Kenya region into a unitary state devoid of political conflicts as per the will of the President”.

“You need not be a rocket scientist to know that where you see Mr Murathe and Mr Kenneth, that is where the President is,” he said.

In a recent interview on a vernacular radio station, Mr Murathe said “we are treating Ruto (Deputy President) as our 2022 competitor. We are scheming to have him, at best, end up in the Opposition. But if he manages to beat us, we will know there are political miracles.”

Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kang’ata told the Nation that in the event Dr Ruto ends up getting a formula to ascend to power, supported by majority of Kenyans, he will go into the history books as a politician whose favour defied all political logic.

“Mr Ruto (DP) needs to understand that the best presidential election contestants thrive by building coalitions hence his major undoing is attempting to go for the big seat as a solo force,” Senator Kang’ata said.