EngRegional
Kenyan deputy president Ruto's catch 22 moment
Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto (centre) with ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi (left) and Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula (right) at a rally on January 26, 2022.
As Kenya prepares for general elections on August 9, the
usual political realignment is now taking shape, but this time, as a reflection
of what happened in the Democratic Republic of Congo elections in December 2018.
Then incumbent president Joseph Kabila abandoned his
ruling People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) candidate,
Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, and supported opposition candidate Félix Tshisekedi
of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDSP). Similarly in Kenya,
President Uhuru Kenyatta has abandoned his Deputy President in the Jubilee
Party, Dr William Ruto, in favour of the opposition leader Raila Odinga of the
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), courtesy of the March 2018 rapprochement,
commonly known as “the handshake”.
Dr Ruto, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party
leader, on January 23, join hands with former vice president Musalia Mudavadi
of the Amani National Congress (ANC), when the two parties’ leaders—together
with a nominal outfit Ford-Kenya led by former foreign minister, Moses
Wetangula—attended the ANC National Delegates Conference in Nairobi.
Just like in DRC where the then most popular
opposition candidate, Martin Madidi Fayulu, cried foul that Mr Kabila had
tinkered with the elections in favour of Mr Tshisekedi, Mr Mudavadi—a long time
ally of Mr Odinga, who fell out with the former Prime Minister—is not happy
that President Kenyatta is favouring Mr Odinga.
The current question is whether Dr Ruto—who has been
planning his presidential bid since Jubilee came to power in 2013—can replicate
Mr Odinga’s 2002 declaration that Mwai Kibaki was fit to lead the opposition to
ensure that Moi’s protégé, President Kenyatta, did not ascend to power. Word
within ANC and UDA reveal that it is Dr Ruto who reached out to Mr Mudavadi and
that there are very high chances that Dr Ruto could opt to present Mr Mudavadi
if he realises that state-sponsored roadblocks in his way are unsurmountable,
and that could present somebody that is acceptable to the power wielders like
Mr Mudavadi.
Dr Amukowa Anangwe, who is Mr Mudavadi’s Campaign Manager, told The East African that there are high chances that Dr Ruto could pass the baton to Mr Mudavadi, although the decision on who between the two will vie for the president is a work in progress.
