Deputy President William Ruto yesterday flew to retired President Daniel Moi's home in Kabarak but failed to meet him after waiting for three hours.
It is not clear if Ruto had an appointment but sources close to the Moi family say there was none.
"We did not know he was coming. A visit like this one is normally organised properly through Mzee's aides and members of the family, especially his son Gideon, would be asked to be present. He was not present," a Moi aide said.
On April 14, Opposition leader Raila Odinga visited Moi in Kabarak and was warmly welcomed, photos were taken and Gideon was present. That friendly meeting was interpreted as an endorsement of the former PM's role in the famous handshake, at the very least.
A meeting with Moi, to wish him good health, could give a boost to Ruto's presidential aspirations and his claim to lead the Kalenjin nation.
Moi's spokesman Lee Njiru confirmed that Ruto visited but did not see Moi because the 94-year-old former President was with his doctors.
Ruto was greeted by the caretaker, security detail and two pastors.
"Former President Mzee Daniel arap Moi was visited today (yesterday) by Ruto at his Kabarak home," a statement from the former President's office said. "Ruto accompanied by Energy CS Charles Keter, Ainabkoi MP William Chepkut and lawyer Stephen Kipkenda were welcomed and had lunch at Mzee's Kabarak home.
"Unfortunately, this coincided with the time of Mzee Moi's routine physical exercise with his doctors. Mzee Moi agreed to meet the visitors at a convenient time another day in the very near future," the statement said.
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Ruto's spokesman David Mugonyi told the Star last night they did not publicise the meeting because it was personal. "It was a private visit, that's why we did not invite the media. If the Deputy President wants public engagement, we always inform the media. They (family) have sent a statement and I can’t go into that. All I can say it was private," Mugonyi said .
Baringo North MP William Cheptumo told the Star he had arranged the meeting and confirmed it last week when he and Keter visited Moi.
"Mzee gave us a date for today (yesterday) and that is why we went," Cheptumo said.
A Facebook post by Dennis Itumbi, the State House director of Digital, seemed to blame Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, the Kanu chairman, for the DP's failure to see Moi.
"Gideon Moi is an interesting man. Very interesting. But #TeamHustle and its automatic membership of hustlers will just pray for him.
"Just take note of this, Ruto cannot just fly to Kabarak or anywhere else without prior arrangement and confirmation.....random appearances are for emergencies or disasters and even then there is a form of arrangement," he posted.
On April 15 Senator Kipchumba Murkomen accused Gideon of blocking Ruto from visiting his father.
The Elgeyo Marakwet Senator said since Moi was discharged from an Israeli hospital in early April, Rift Valley leaders allied to Ruto had tried to visit him but Gideon always denied them appointments.
“As chairman of the Rift Valley leaders' political caucus, I want to lay out everything in black and white. We have tried our level best to visit our beloved former President Moi and wish him all the best but Gideon Moi has blocked our every intention so people would say William does not want to wish Mzee well, which is a total lie," Murkomen said.
Raila's visit to Moi sparked fresh debate on 2022 presidential succession.
Yesterday Ruto and his entourage arrived at around 11am aboard a Kenya Pipeline chopper and were welcomed by the farm manager, two pastors and the security team. They were ushered into the guest house next to Moi's house where they stayed for two and a half hours, leaving around 2pm after lunch. There was a promise of a meeting with Moi next week.
Ruto has been at loggerheads with Moi since the 90s when the DP is reported to have slapped Moi's relative William Chesire in State House in 2006 as the two battled for the Kanu nomination for the Eldoret North MP seat. Ruto defied Moi's request to step down for Chesire, and won.
In Parliament, Ruto formed a new party, the United Democratic Movement, together with Kipruto Kirwa, which criticised Moi's Kanu government.
Elders led by AIC'S Bishop Silas Yego intervened and reconciled Moi and Ruto. Moi appointed Ruto assistant Minister in the Office of the President, then promoted him to Minister for Home Affairs in 2001.
The two fell out again in 2005 when Moi backed the 'yes' side of the referendum on the Constitution and Ruto backed the 'no' side.
Rivalry intensified in 2006 when Ruto backed ODM leader Raila Odinga for President and Moi supported his former deputy Mwai Kibaki for the 2007 polls.
Ruto's rivalry shifted to Moi's son Gideon and it intensified in the last election when Ruto exchanged bitter words with Gideon as he campaigned for Jubilee candidates in Baringo. Ruto fielded Water CS Simon Chelugui against Gideon. When Gideon retained his seat, Ruto pushed successfully for Chelugui's appointment to the Cabinet.
Yesterday the Star established the DP is working on an elaborate strategy to consolidate his political bedrock amid clamour for sweeping constitutional changes.
Ruto has held 10 rallies and five fundraisers in the Rift Valley in two weeks. He is expected to step up his anti-referendum push to firm up his support in case there is a referendum.
Ruto and his allies have publicly opposed the push by NASA leader Raila Odinga for a referendum to fundamentally change the system of government, calling it a ploy to create positions for the former PM's buddies. Raila and allies want a Parliamentary system or a hybrid system in which the PM is the powerful executive and the President is far less so.
It is understood the DP will continue with harambees, his trademark event, to endear himself to poor voters. He will attend funerals and church services to rally the region and try to neutralise the threat posed by Gideon Moi.
On Saturday, Ruto will be in Moi's Baringo turf for the burial of Baringo South MP Grace Kipchoim in Marigat and then meet political leaders.
This evening, the DP is to hold a discreet meeting with select elected and opinion leaders from Baringo, in another move to assert his authority in the region.
On Sunday, the DP will attend a church service at Kapsowar, one of four services he has lined up in Senate Majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen's Elgeyo Marakwet county.
“It will be a church service and nothing more,” Murkomen when contacted yesterday by the Star yesterday to comment on Ruto's planned flurry of weekend activities.
“The time for politics is over, it's time to serve Kenyans,” Murkomen, a close Ruto ally, said.
However, observers say the DP's tenacity and vigour could put him in full-throttle campaign gear until 2022.
“He has the advantage of age and strength, which some of his competitors don't have. He has realised there is need to kick off early campaigning before opponents organise themselves,” Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny said.
“The DP is a shrewd politician. He has decided to reach out to all leaders from the region to consolidate his support and parry any threats that may ride on the referendum push.”
Gideon shelved his own presidential ambitions last year to back President Uhuru Kenyatta's reelection bid but he refused to allow Kanu's merger when other affiliates folded up into Jubilee.
The younger Moi has said he will run for President in 2022, placing himself on a collision course with Ruto, especially after Kanu appeared to back calls for a referendum to change the system of government
Senior politicians from the vote-rich Rift Valley yesterday told the Star that while they have been asked to stop the referendum debate, they would go flat out to ring-fence Rift Valley for Ruto.
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