DOSSIER ON RUTO’S NEXT CALCULATED MOVE REVEALED

Migori Governor Okoth Obado is crafting an alliance with Deputy President William Ruto to clip ODM leader Raila Odinga’s wings in his Nyanza turf.

Details of the alliance emerged on Sunday when the governor was hosted by the DP’s brother, Mr David Ruto, who close associates say is Ruto’s new “Mr Fixit in Nyanza region”.

In February, David launched the ‘Hustler’ movement in Kisumu and promised to criss-cross the entire Nyanza region and reach out to the youth ahead of the next General Election scheduled for August next year.

“We’re speaking the ‘hustler’s’ language, which entails involvement of all Kenyans regardless of their tribes and regions. That is why we’re in Kisumu. We’ll continue criss-crossing the country to uplift the living standards of our people,” he said in Kisumu on February 20.

On Sunday, in the DP’s wider scheme of seeking a footing in the backyard of Mr Odinga, who is seen as the DP’s main challenger in the 2022 presidential contest, David hosted Mr Obado at his Kileleshwa home in Nairobi to plan an onslaught on the ODM leader’s Nyanza bastion.

The DP is also said to be making inroads in Mr Odinga’s vote bases of Western and Coast regions.

To win over Western, Mr Obado is said to be working with Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, who is also Mr Odinga’s co-deputy party leader in ODM, even though the Kakamega County chief vehemently denied claims of working with the DP, whom he admits to have met several times supposedly with Mr Odinga’s blessings.

Details of meeting

“I’ve never suggested that Raila should work with Ruto, neither have I said I will work with him. Raila is my mentor and where he will tell me to go is where I will go,” Mr Oparanya told the Nation.

Even though sources termed the Sunday meeting between Mr Obado and the DP’s brother a private affair, the Nation established that the two even came up with plans for a joint meeting in Migori County later this month. 

According to former Jubilee youth official Victor Ayugi, who is now an operative of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), the governor was “simply hosted for dinner and nothing much”.

Mr Obado yesterday confirmed meeting the DP’s brother but declined to disclose details of their discussions.

“It’s true we met and as politicians, we discussed a number of issues whose details will come to light in due course,” Mr Obado told the Nation.

The governor, who also confirmed being the de facto leader of PDP, however cautioned that the visit should not be blown out of proportion since the DP’s brother does not hold any position in the political circles.

“Let us not create a mountain out of the visit. It was not political and should be treated as such. If I’ve anything political, I’d discuss it with the Deputy President himself. Let people not read too much into such meetings,” the governor said.

Outwitting ODM party

Sources close to Mr Obado told the Nation that PDP will be used in Nyanza region as an affiliate of UDA in 2022 and is likely to have a footing in Western region too.

Mr Obado, who was re-elected on an ODM ticket in the 2017 General Election, has been involved in popularising PDP, whose ticket he rode on when he was first elected Migori governor in 2013.

Basking on the glory of outwitting ODM party in its attempt to mobilise MCAs to impeach him last year, the second-term governor’s open defiance has been growing by the day.

 

Mr Obado has even gone as far as criticising the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), which is both Mr Odinga’s and President Kenyatta’s pet project.

Mr Obado maintains there should be democratic space in the Nyanza region and that other parties should be allowed to thrive in the area so as to give the residents diverse political options.

The governor has promised ODM a titanic battle for MCA, MP, Woman Rep, senator and governor’s positions in Nyanza through PDP, which close allies say he has since acquired from former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara.

A close associate of Mr Obado told the Nation it was just a matter of time before PDP officials are changed at the office of the Registrar of Political Parties.

By Nation Africa