• Ruto must be having up to date intelligence about all the candidates he sees as his potential running mate.
• Of course, there will be some fallout emanating from those who will not be satisfied with the process.
Image: FILE
Deputy President William Ruto has set his eyes on the top seat in the land, he is busy building his political network across the country and with all these comes the challenge of sharing out government positions.
The DP going forward will have a huge headache in settling on the best running mate without having to antagonise the other regions that would have pledged support.
Of course, there will be some fallout emanating from those who will not be satisfied with the process the DP will adopt in picking his preferred candidate.
The other top positions that will be up for grabs among the regions include that of the Speakers of the National Assembly and the Senate.
Ruto must be having up to date intelligence about all the candidates he sees as his potential running mates.
But key in settling on the candidate is what he or she will bring on the table. The candidate must have a national appeal.
Anne Waiguru is seen as a possible candidate due to her aggressive and ambitious character. However, the challenge she will face is acceptability. Women in leadership are still not embraced in Mt Kenya with enthusiasm.
Justin Muturi is largely unknown beyond the precincts of Parliament. Twice he failed to recapture the Mbeere MP seat. His friendship with President Uhuru Kenyatta is his major strength.
Mwangi wa Iria, on the other hand, is arguably the most recognizable leader in Mt Kenya. A populist with a natural touch with the masses. His undoing is his unending battles with the rich and wealthy class.
Wycliffe Oparanya is one of the best success stories in as far as devolution is concerned.
Known for his good planning, he's experienced and one of the senior most politician from Western. His rise to the position of the chair, Council of Governors, was a major boost to his political statue.
Ruto's challenge is that they both come from neighbouring counties and the pair will be seen as a Western affair.
Kivutha Kibwana is a social democrat. Kibwana has presided over a successful tenure as Makueni Governor. He's a darling of the highly unpredictable social media voters. He lacks resources to do political mobilization on a national scale.
For Kithure Kindiki, he is an accomplished scholar and advocate, he is serving his second term as the senator.
He once served as Ruto's lawyer at the ICC. Tharaka vote is tiny within the larger Mt Kenya East and Tharaka have historically played second fiddle to Ameru. For the past few years, Kindiki has also maintained a low profile concentrating on his politics in his county.
Governors Kingi and Mvurya are non-starters. Their influence is limited to their counties. They need to do more to have a national appeal and name recognition.
The political analyst spoke to the Star.