- Muturi is seen as an influential figure that might stabilise the power matrix in Kenya Kwanza ahead of the polls.
- Initially, Ruto's allies from Mt Kenya have stressed that the DP had a covenant to pick his deputy from the region.
The entry of National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi into the Kenya Kwanza camp has expanded Deputy President William Ruto's running mate options.
The DP, the presumed Kenya Kwanza Alliance flag-bearer, is expected to pick either ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi or settle on a politician from Mt Kenya region as his deputy.
This,as the DP's men on Sunday downplayed reports that Muturi's entry would radically shift the power matrix within the KK team ahead of the August 9 general election.
“That is not an issue for now,”said Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua.
Gachagua is one of Ruto's possible running mates from Mt Kenya region.
Kandara MP Alice Wahome and Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki are some of the names that have been floated in regards to Ruto's running mate slot.
Gachagua, who has previously affirmed that the running mate slot in Ruto's team belongs to Mt Kenya, said at the moment the DP is focused on expanding the KK team.
“For now discussions about who will get what position are immaterial, consultations will continue and Kenyans will be informed in due course and at the right time,” he told the Star.
The DP's alliance building spirit is a departure from his initial stance against working with fringe parties he had termed as 'tribal.'
Gachagua had insisted in previous interviews that Mt Kenya region had a deal with Ruto to pick his deputy from there.
He said this had been made clear to Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula before they joined.
Muturi, the Democratic Party leader, joined the KK team on Saturday, ending months of speculations about his political plans.
His entry was interpreted to mean a major political boost for Ruto who is determined to consolidate his support in President Uhuru Kenyatta's backyard.
However, this could stir debate about the possibility of becoming Ruto's deputy given that he is the second ranking leader after Uhuru from Mt Kenya.
Three members of DP have opposed Muturi's decision to join Ruto's Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
The three King'ori Choto, Wambugu Nyamu and Daniel Munene signed a petition which was received by the Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu, stating they were taken aback by the move.
The trio have asked the registrar to reject the move by DP to join Ruto’s camp since it contravenes party resolutions.
"We ask your office to reject the coalition document purporting to join the party to Kenya Kwanza," they said.
Political analyst Herman Manyora yesterday said the DP might settle for a totally different player in his United Democratic Alliance from Mt Kenya.
“It is most likely that Ruto will go for a UDA member as his running mate to avoid a situation where the President and his deputy run on two different parties,”Manyora said.
There are also concerns that with Muturi being a late entrant, just like it was said of Musalia and Wetangula, he might lose out on the running mate slot.
“It was Gachagua who said that when Musalia and Wetangula joined, UDA had already agreed on the presidential candidate and running mate position. I expect that to be said of Muturi,”Manyora said.
In the 2013 polls, Ruto ran on his defunct United Republican Party as Uhuru's deputy while the President was elected on The National Alliance party.
It was a different scenario in 2017 when they collapsed at least 12 parties including URP and TNA and cobbled up the Jubilee machine.
The new political parties Act that provided for a coalition political party was expected to sort out the mess.
The law allows the President and his deputy to fly a single party flag while being backed by other outfits in a coalition of parties.
However, while ODM boss Raila Odinga and President Kenyatta crafted the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party in line with the new law, Ruto avoided taking that route.
Instead the DP's Kenya Kwanza alliance will form a coalition that will bring together a couple of political parties before the May 8 deadline.
The deadline for the formation of coalition political parties lapsed on Saturday.
This means that the DP will fly the UDA and not the Kenya Kwanza ticket.
“April 9 is the deadline of coalition parties to deposit their agreements while the one for coalition of parties is May 8,the others still have time,” Nderitu said.
The Star has established that the move to form a coalition of parties and not a coalition political parties was to accommodate more outfits that wanted to join the alliance.
The aim is also to ensure that there is a stable power balance that makes the presidential aspirant accountable to all other partner parties.
“Ruto will contest the presidency on the UDA party ticket,” said Kimilli MP Didmus Barasa.
The Kenya Kwanza alliance is expected to receive more parties with with Moses Kuria's Chama Cha Kazi and former Kiambu governor's Tujibebe Wakenya parties set to join.
Also lined up to join KK is Migori governor Okoth Obado's PDP, Jimmy Wanjigi's Safina party and Mwangi Kiunjuri's The Service party.
(Edited by Francis Wadegu)