• Buzeki meets elders, youth and women's groups at his Ainabkoi home to explain decision.
• But DP Ruto allies claim Buzeki will be irrelevant without Jubilee and DP's support.
Image: MATHEWS NDANYI
Eldoret politician Bundotich Kiprop alias Buzeki's exit from Jubilee has sparked off political re-alignments in the Rift Valley, with Chama Cha Mashianani of former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto appearing to gain ground.
Buzeki is close to making a political deal to revamp CCM ahead of the 2022 elections in which he will vie for governor of Uasin Gishu.
Buzeki yesterday met with elders, youth and women's groups at his Ainabkoi home in Uasin Gishu to explain to them why he decamped from Jubilee and the way forward.
“They asked me to meet them so that we talk about the latest developments. We will announce our next move after the meeting and more consultations”, said Buzeki.
The billionaire businessman with vast interests in transport, shipping and agriculture appears ready for a head-on battle with the DP and his allies not only in Uasin Gishu but within the Kalenjin community.
DP Ruto's allies including Soy MP Caleb Kostany and Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen have dismissed Buzeki’s move to decamp as political suicide.
But the businessman says he will not look back as his train has already exited from the station.
“We will now move on with the huge masses of people who are disgruntled in Jubilee and not want to be hostage to cartels in the party,” he said.
Last week,Buzeki was cheered wildly when he made an appearance at a harambee in Turbo. His strategists say he is likely to give Jubilee a major headache in the region.
Recently, he moved in to save farmers by supplying fertiliser after the government withdrew from the importation of the subsidised input.
His rivals fear the move has earned him political mileage.
“He is a down-to-earth politician and an individual who knows how to link up with the ordinary people than many of those in Jubilee who are used to showing off and arrogance”, said Elgeyo Marakwet Kanu chairman Paul Kibet.
Kibet said Buzeki is a brand and his name was well known even before he started engaging in politics. No serious politician can write him off in the 2022 polls. He said Buzeki has made wide networks but remains a man of his own means.
In the governor's race for Uasin Gishu, Buzeki is preparing to tussle with Kenya’s envoy to Pakistan Prof Julius Bitok who is considered a front runner for the seat through Jubilee. Buzeki and Bitok lost to Jackson Mandago who is completing his second and final term.
Sources indicate that some political heavyweights in the region are mulling grooming Soy politician Jonathan Bii to succeed Mandago. But he faces an uphill task, with most politicians in Uasin Gishu arguing that the seat will not go back to the same area that is home to Mandago.
Buzeki joins a long list of allies of DP Ruto who are running away from the Jubilee camp in a move that is likely to weaken the party ahead of 2022.
“I am now ready and prepared to do mature politics and the main focus will be to serve the people”, Buzeki said.