It is an uncontested fact that President William Ruto owes his election to the plurality of votes he got from Mount Kenya region. But going by the current political dynamic, is it a logical posture to sit pretty and bank on that constituency to deliver in 2027? My humble view is that it would be foolhardy.
With a tanking economy and his policies failing, it is easy to predict that the Mount Kenya voting constituency will not be enthusiastic to have his back. With a failing economy, it is Mount Kenya people who are to feel more heat because majority of them are in business.
In fact, it is a failing economy and dumping business environment together with harsh tax policy that made those folks to turn on former President Uhuru Kenyatta and the political direction he gave them.
The rage and the anger they had against Uhuru is slowly fomenting against Ruto if the economic realities continue as they are or get worse. The backlash may mean that Ruto can no longer count on them.
Another fact pushing Ruto to look at new areas is the simmering concern about his deputy Rigathi Gachagua. The DP has been open about his shares talk, forcing the President to correct him openly, and he is defiant. I feel there is an increasing feeling within Ruto’s inner circle on the need to find a way of taming or checkmating the DP.
Gachagua and his people have been openly uncomfortable with Musalia Mudavadi and even there was a function the DP graced where Musalia was blocked from speaking.
The DP has also been vocal in viewing other people, outside of their traditional voting bases, as government intruders.
So, the President seems to be calculating a way of shoring up support in Western and Nyanza so that the DP and group do not become too indispensable should they come up with unrealistic demands or start holding him to ransom.
UoN political science professor spoke to the Star
