Battle of titans shapes up as anti-Ruto brigade maps out Rift Valley

The anti-Deputy President William Ruto forces have identified at least eight Rift Valley counties where they seek to elbow the DP aside and diminish his influence.

For the second election in a row, Baringo Senator Gideon Moi and Chama Cha Mashinani boss Isaac Rutto are going flat out to dislodge Ruto as the region’s political kingpin.

The Star has also established that Gideon has acquired an expansive office in Nairobi’s Upper Hill area where he plans to establish his presidential campaign secretariat.

This would be the first time the scion of retired President Daniel Moi would be seeking the top job held by his father for a record 24 years until he left office 17 years ago.

Allies of the Baringo senator say it will be difficult for the DP to make a meaningful political impact with the myriad of accusations against him.

 “Do you sincerely think that Ruto can become anything beyond what he is now?” asked Tiaty MP William Kamket.

“Ashukuru Mungu mahali amefika (He should thank God for where has reached). But at this rate, I highly doubt whether he will finish his term as the DP,” he said. 

In 2017, Gideon backed President Kenyatta’s re-election despite his feud with Ruto that saw them battle for the other five elective seats

However, the DP won the first round, flooring Kanu and CCM bigwigs in a titanic battle that claimed Isaac himself.

The CCM boss was beaten to the Bomet governor’s seat by Jubilee’s Joyce Laboso, forcing him to abandon the NASA camp.

The Star has established that CCM has identified key counties, especially in the South Rift, dominated by the Kispsigis where it’s seeking a clean sweep of electoral seats.

These are Kericho, Bomet, Narok and parts of Uasin Gishu and Nakuru counties.

Kanu on the other hand is targeting Nakuru, Baringo, Laikipia, West Pokot and Samburu

This leaves Jubilee with mainly the North Rift counties including Nandi, Elgeiyo Marakwet, Trans Nzoia, Turkana and Kajiado.

Cherangany MP Joshua Kuttuny told the Star the community understood that the leaders they entrusted with the highest office on the land had abandoned them for selfish courses.

According to Kuttuny, professionals from Rift Valley were unhappy with the manner in which the DP and his office had treated them.

“The jostling and activity of these parties is an indicator of the disquiet. They have noticed a big vacuum in leadership an are now taking over,” he told the Star on phone.

He went on, “Farmers across the region are very unhappy and its root cause can be traced to poor leadership. The people are yearning for change.”

Last week, Rutto said it must be made clear that Rift Valley does not belong to anybody.

“In Rift Valley, there is this notion that this is a stronghold of a certain party. We want to go into the next election with free political space. If someone will come to force us to toe some political line, we will deal with it directly. We will no longer take intimidation,” he said.

Two weeks ago, the CCM boss received a team of defectors from the DP’s camp including wealthy businessman Zedekiah Bundotich popularly known as Buzeki.

Rutto said that his party will begin crisscrossing the country to popularise itself and recruit new members.

On the other hand, Gideon, is said to be quietly approaching friends far and wide with talk of a pact with between him and the ODM leader Raila Odinga in the offing.

DP Ruto, on the other hand, has been traversing the country in a campaign blitz to expand his political network beyond the Rift Valley.

He is also reported to have formed a 14-member team of think tanks that are meeting often to craft ideas and review the political landscape.

He has also been wooing governors Patrick Khaemba of Trans Nzoia (Ford Kenya), Josphat Nanok of Turkana(ODM) and John Lonyangapuo of West Pokot (Kanu).

In the 2017 general election, Kanu trounced Jubilee to retain key positions in West Pokot and Baringo counties, despite spirited campaigns by the ruling coalition to get a slice of the pastoral communities’ vote. 

The ruling party had sought to gain full control of the vote-rich Rift Valley region.

In West Pokot, Kanu won the governor’s seat through John Lonyangapuo and the senate post through Samuel Poghisio.

In Baringo, Senator Gideon Moi retained his position while William Kamket won the Tiaty parliamentary seat.

Kanu also won the Baringo woman representative seat through Gladwell Cheruiyot.

In Nakuru county, Kanu retained the Rongai parliamentary seat through Raymond Moi.

Kanu also won a number of seats in Samburu. Among them, the Samburu West Parliamentary seat won by Naisula Lesuuda.

Maison Leshomo was elected the Woman Representative on a Kanu ticket.

In South Rift, Kanu bagged Emurua Dikir parliamentary seat through the vocal second term legislator Johana Ng’eno who has since opted for a low profile as far as national politics is concerned.

Rutto’s CCM won two parliamentary seats — Chepalungu through Gideon Koske and Narok West taken by Tongoyo Koshal.

Over the weekend, the DP said Jubilee was intact across the country saying all seats in the party will be won through a fair and transparent contest.

“Every candidate should, therefore, arm himself or herself with development programmes for them to sail through,” he said.

Baringo North MP William Cheptumo is of the opinion that “it is all political hot air” to “even think that the DP will be elbowed aside in Rift Valley.

The third time legislator who also chairs the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Committee in the National Assembly said that the Deputy President is still the commander of the politics of Rift Valley, controlling virtually every corner of the region.

“The people of Rift Valley are very unique. Outsiders who grace our local TV talk shows are creating a false narrative that Ruto is losing ground in Rift Valley. They did the same in the run-up to 2017 general elections but the results were out for everyone to learn from,” he said.

Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi said that the DP’s tentacles have now spread to West Pokot, home to Kanu party, and Turkana.

“Kenyans are clever people, they know how to differentiate propaganda and the truth. Kenyans are determined to end this issue of dynasties in 2022,” Sudi said.

Governor Nanok, one of the senior leaders in the Orange Democratic Movement, said he would rally the Turkana community behind the Deputy President in 2022.

He said the 14 governors from Rift Valley were united and will speak with one voice in the next polls.

“Kenyans are watching the Rift Valley to give the country direction on matters of leadership ahead of 2022. This is why as governors from this region we are united so as to have strong bargaining power,” Nanok said.

In West Pokot, Governor John Lonyangapuo has made it clear that the region would support Ruto in 2022.

He has previously said that Pokot needed a transformative, ambitious and hardworking leader like Ruto “who has our interest at heart”.