Kanu chairman Gideon Moi finds himself at the centre of
a political push, with internal party voices openly advocating for an alliance
with President William Ruto’s government ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The push is being led by officials like John Karanja,
the Kanu secretary for Kiambu county, also carrying himself as the Kanu communication
secretary for Mt Kenya region.
“I am asking my national chairman to call a delegate
conference so that we can leave the Azimio coalition and start helping the
current government in its reelection bid,” Karanja told the Star in a telephone
interview.
He argued that the recent Gen Z uprising is a typical
mid-term crisis, comparable to challenges faced by every previous
administration.
He said the same was the case from the days of President
Jomo Kenyatta to Uhuru Kenyatta, and Mwai Kibaki, indicating that President
Ruto will similarly survive and prosper.
“We don’t have a timeline for the NDC, but we would like
to start early since it is barely two years to the next elections,” the official
said.
Karanja, who also serves as the party's communication secretary
for the Mt Kenya region, emphasised Moi’s influence, which could come in handy
for Ruto.
“Our chairman is influential, not only in Baringo but
even here in Kiambu…people hear him and do as he commands. If we can do that,
then we can help this government,” he stated.
Gideon Moi lost his Baringo Senate seat in the 2022
elections, and KANU is widely seen as struggling to stay afloat.
The Kanu chairman has declared interest in running for
the Senate seat in the November 27 by-election.
A gazette notice issued by IEBC indicates him among the
four candidates who have applied to participate in the independence era party
nominations.
“The party primary will be conducted at the party’s
headquarters at Prudential Assurance Building,” the notice reads.
Kanu officials are, however, divided on the direction
the party should take in the upcoming elections.
Karanja’s narrative of an impending alliance is not the
same script read by KANU's top echelons.
As recently as July, the party issued a formal statement
dismissing a video that suggested Gideon was aligning with the current regime.
The party clarified that the video was from 2021 and had
been deliberately taken out of context by government-aligned actors, terming
the move a "shallow and futile misinformation campaign".
KANU set the record straight that Gideon Moi had neither
the desire nor the inclination to support the Kenya Kwanza administration.
The party held that fundamental decisions about
political alliances are not made unilaterally but are “sanctioned through
structured party processes”.
It held that such a move would be collectively decided
upon by the leadership and membership.
The recent resignation of Fredrick Okang’o, the party’s
Secretary of Political Affairs, adds another layer of intrigue.
While there is no evidence that the resignation was directly
linked to the alleged machinations, Okang’o stated his decision was guided by
“personal political growth and the shifting realities of Kenya’s politics”.
His statement that “Kenya is at a crossroads that calls
for bold choices, fresh leadership, and transformative renewal”.
All the same, the outgoing Kanu Political Affairs
Secretary came close to confirming the machinations to have Gideon publicly
declare support for Ruto.
Insiders at the party pointed to Gideon’s recent condolence
to Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah’s family as among the signs of the ongoing talks.
UDA sources, however, held that the visit, which came
almost the same time as Baringo MPs condoled with the family, was no coincidence.
This internal pressure on Gideon occurs against a
backdrop of a wider struggle for relevance among the country’s political
dynasties.
Analysts observe that the Moi dynasty, in particular, has become a “pale shadow of its former self” since the death of former President Daniel arap Moi.
Nick Salat, who resigned as the party’s
secretary-general, at one time admitted that the party failed to adapt, was too
content at the top, and had a lifeless grassroots base.
For Gideon Moi, a cautious political operator, any
decision on an alliance with Ruto would be weighed against the survival of the
party his father once led and the preservation of his own political future.
Kanu and its chairman’s political direction remains one
of the intriguing questions as the 2027 elections draw nearer.
Pundits say Gideon has to carefully navigate between internal pressures, a weakening party, and a rapidly shifting national political landscape.
