BAD NEWS TO DP RUTO.

Deputy President William Ruto is scratching his head on how to convince his allies in the populous Mt Kenya region to join the recently unveiled United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Despite pledging unwavering support for his presidential bid, the leaders who include senators, MPs and MCAs have been coy in joining UDA, with some of them already promoting their individual parties.

Although some of the DP’s lieutenants in the region where he enjoys considerable support have remained silent on the subject, others have come out in the open to declare that their support for Ruto is not pegged on joining UDA, which has closely been associated with him.

Signs that the new political outfit may run into headwinds as it tries to consolidate Ruto’s support base is lack of enthusiasm among his allies in Mt Kenya to stop their monthly contribution to Jubilee party and instead channel the funds to the newly formed Kazi Ni Kazi welfare group, affiliated to UDA.

“Some of the MPs in Rift Valley have written to clerks of National Assembly and Senate about the decision to stop contribution to Jubilee but those in Mt Kenya are reluctant to do so. They want the issue of the party clarified,” said a Central Kenya MP.

Welfare group

The MP said he would only communicate to the clerk of the National Assembly once the welfare group is up and running.

This, according to sources close to the DP, has given him a fresh headache on how to galvanise his support without losing key leaders from the region.

“It is still early to talk about it but this is an issue which is under discussion. Most of these leaders are not willing to join UDA for fear of a repeat of what is happening to Jubilee party. If Ruto had not folded URP in the run-up to 2017, he would not be in the current mess,” said an MP privy to the discussion.

Ruto’s allies like former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri, Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki, Kirinyaga Woman Representative Wangui Ngirichi and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria have been propagating the agenda of different parties.

Kindiki has openly declared that although he supports Ruto’s presidential bid, he would not be joining UDA but would deliver his message from a different entity.

Kiunjuri is also on record saying that The Service Party (TSP), which he leads, would not be folding to join another political party saying it would only work with like-minded parties.

Mini polls

And buoyed by the outcome of the Gaturi ward by-election where his People Empowerment Party triumphed, Kuria has gone ahead to field candidates in the forthcoming by-elections saying he was building a national party.

The issue of party allegiance coupled with the onslaught by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Ruto’s allies in the Mt Kenya has given the DP fresh dilemma as he seeks to galvanise the support he currently enjoys. 

Kiunjuri has urged both Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga to state what they have in store for Mt Kenya region before the region drums up support for their presidential quest.

“These two aspiring leaders must tell us what they have in store for us for supporting their presidential bid in 2022,” Kiunjuri said.

Kiunjuri hopes to use TSP to unite Mt Kenya leaders so that they may have one front for negotiations for the region’s stake in the next government.

Ngirichi, another Ruto ally, has also laid her conditions to Ruto that he must pick a running mate from Mt Kenya region, saying Rift Valley and Mt Kenya regions are enough to propel Ruto to presidency.

“We had our way in 2007 and now we have both Mt Kenya region and the Rift Valley regions and we expect 70 per cent and 98 per cent of votes from the two regions respectively. So Ruto’s running mate must come from Mt Kenya region,” said Ngirichi.

Like Kiunjuri, Ngirichi told Saturday Standard that she is in control of Citizen Convention Party and that her husband Andrew Ngirici is now the party leader.

By Standard media

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