Plot to woo Ruto allies to handshake camp

Is the Tangatanga brigade about to lose a key ally from Western Kenya in the coming weeks? There are reports a senior opposition leader last week held talks with the Tangatanga confidant at his Karen home. The talks are part of a bigger scheme to woo allies of Deputy President William Ruto (pictured) into the handshake camp. The politician is said to have driven himself to the posh home of the political bigwig without aides and held discussions for more than three hours. A trade unionist is said to have also been part of the meeting on New Year's Eve. It is only a matter of time before the hustler nation cries foul over the bid to deflate it in Western Kenya.

A Wiper MP from Ukambani said to be harbouring gubernatorial ambitions is looking for every available opportunity to hop onto flights with one of the influential leaders of the party. The move has created a bitter falling-out with some of his peers from the region. He is said to be capitalising on his close proximity with a party leader to boost his 2022 gubernatorial chances. On one of the Wiper tours to a Rift Valley county, a senior party official was dropped from an influential leader's entourage to make way for the MP. There are murmurs within Wiper that the politician is becoming baggage to the party boss given his lack of wide popularity.

A governor from the Coast region, who has apparently taken a back seat in national politics, may be under siege. The county boss is locking horns with a first-term MP over a strategic piece of land at the heart of a key town in the coastal county. The governor had bought the land but has not honoured full payment to the MP, sparking a battle. The ownership duel has lasted half a decade until the governor took the MP head-on politically. The MP, who is said to be the legitimate owner of the parcel, wants to move to court to take over erected structures until the governor pays Sh5 million due.

A political party plagued by financial woes has been unable to pay staff or make payments for leased offices across the country in the last 18 months. It is said that the outfit has been reeling from massive financial challenges, including servicing a Sh20 million bank loan allegedly taken by the party leader. The staff has now threatened to down their tools from next month as they move to court for orders to auction party property to get their salaries. Accrued salaries are said to be in the region of Sh7 million for all staff and a further Sh10 million for leased offices countrywide.