• Ruto’s strategist have concluded the DP should move away from tribal kingpins and instead use Young Turks.
• The DP is set to battle a team of Mudavadi, Gideon Moi, Kalonzo and Wetang'ula of the One Kenya Alliance.
Image: WILLIAM RUTO/TWITTER
Allies of Deputy President William Ruto have said they are not afraid of any political formation being forged by their rivals ahead of the 2022 presidential race.
The DP's troops said he has built a strong battalion of youthful politicians and ordinary Kenyans ready to take on any line-up in the August polls.
The Star has established that Ruto’s strategists concluded three months ago that the DP should move away from tribal kingpins and instead use Young Turks to drive his hustlers-versus-dynasties campaign.
The Young Turks were rebels leading an early 20th century revolt against the Turkish sultan, an absolute monarch, and calling for constitutional government.
This strategy, insiders in Ruto’s camp say, will give credibility to his rallying call that 2022 is about ordinary Kenyans.
The DP is flexing his political muscle to battle the team of Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Gideon Moi (Kanu), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper) and Moses Wetang'ula (Ford Kenya) under the One Kenya Alliance.
The One Kenya Alliance is said to be propped up by President Uhuru Kenyatta in a move to tame Ruto who has fallen out with the head of state.
ODM leader Raila Oginga, though yet to publicly announce he is running, is reportedly crafting his own presidential team in secret.
Speaking on Tuesday, allies of the DP said Ruto will be at ease in picking his 2022 line-up as his main rivals burn the midnight oil trying to pick a strong team to face him.
Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali said, “Ruto is ready to face off with any alliance or coalition, be it Mudavadi, Wetang'ula, Gideon and Kalonzo, or even Raila."
The ex-National Assembly Majority whip said tribal groupings have been overtaken by events.
“When you see people say Ruto is isolated, you just wonder if indeed they live in Kenya. What value will the One Kenya Alliance add to each other? They have no numbers. But anyway, we are ready for whichever candidate they settle on,” he told the Star on the phone.
“If indeed they are not scared of the DP, they could not be ganging up against him. They have done all their calculations and they are still not adding up, they cannot match the network of friends, ordinary Kenyans and religious leaders Ruto has.”
Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa said the idea of banking on regional kingpins backward.
The ODM elected legislator-turned Ruto supporter said, “Indeed, fate is grouping hustlers vs dynasties.
“It will be the easiest presidential race to win. Kenyans will have the choice of their fellow hustlers on one hand and dynasties on the other hand. These dynasties have used us for a long time but we will bring it to an end next year,” she said.
“Kenyans are running away from tribal groupings. The generation we have now does not embrace regional kingship. They want a president who will take up his responsibilities to serve all as per the 2010 Constitution."
Image: MUSALIA MUDAVADI/TWITTER
Soi MP Caleb Kositany said the DP has a “wide network of ordinary emerging leaders in all sectors of society”.
He cautioned media against trying to push tribal narratives in the 2022 presidential race.
“Ruto’s presidential bid is not about tribal conversation but issues affecting Kenyans. This idea of you must have so and so on your side to win is outdated. It is a model that has held this country back in that elections becoming rewarding the kingpins instead of serving Kenyans,” he said.
Kositany expressed confidence that with the support of Kenyans, Ruto will beat his rivals hands down. He told President Kenyatta to stop being engrossed in succession politics. calling on him to finish his term and retire.
“Why is Kenyatta so obsessed with succession politics? What is he planning? Retired President Mwai Kibaki served his term and retired without getting entangled in such acts as we see now. What we are witnessing is a repeat of what we saw in the 2002 succession politics and we saw what happened,” he said.
Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua, another close ally of the DP from Mt Kenya region, said even if Uhuru rallies all the bigwigs into one coalition, Ruto will still beat them.
He said the DP enjoys support across the country “which he got due to his dedication to transform the lives of Kenyans.
“The ordinary Kenyans are at the centre of the DP campaigns. We have several groups across the 47 counties who have volunteered to form campaign teams. Our competitors are moving from one home to another negotiating who will be given the ticket,” he said.
Kositany added, “As they do so, we hope they will accept the results. We are tired as the people of this country that some few families want to continue milking this nation dry for personal gain. The DP remains the only saviour we have to save this country.”
He said some of Ruto’s competitors have perfected the art of portraying the DP as corrupt yet in the real sense they are the one who are stealing from Kenyans.
“If some of them were to undergo a lifestyle audit from the time of Independence, they cannot account how they got the wealth they have. These people cannot imagine another person can work hard to acquire wealth. We must unite as Kenyans in 2022 and end the nonsense,” he said.
(Edited by V. Graham)