President Uhuru Kenyatta and his new working partner Raila Odinga could after all support Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i for president in 2022.
After 2017 polls, Matiang'i had started lobbying to deputise Deputy President William Ruto but would later make a U-turn, supporting strongly the pact between the two leaders.
Nyamira-born MP Samuel Arama, formally a staunch supporter of Ruto has since changed his stand and now hints a possible Fred Matiang'i presidency, precipitating a sharp debate.
He said: "We have the likes of Dr Fred Matiang’i who has shown that he has qualities to be the next President of Kenya and I will push my community to have him on the ballot because we must show the other communities that this seat is not their preserve."
He was speaking on Monday outside his National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) office where he issued more than Sh4.1million bursary cheques to more than 200 needy students from his constituency.
Mr Arama said that the notion by the three dominant communities that they are the only ones who can lead this country should stop.
“These communities are talking passionately about the 2022 presidential race as if the other communities including the Kisii, which has produced the most hardworking Cabinet Secretary, Dr Fred Matiang’i, have no capacity to produce a presidential candidate,” said Mr Arama.
Lately, Arama has been a close confidant of Matiang'i, a reason why his statements cannot be taken for granted ahead of the looming 2022 battle in which Ruto is a front runner.
Despite his differences with Mr Odinga, Matiang'i is nowdays a close friend and often refers to Raila as 'H. E Prime Minister', a sign of blossoming friendship between the duo.
President Uhuru Kenyatta seems to have lost faith in his deputy, a reason why some pundits like Mutahi Ngunyi argue that he could back a more neutral Matiang'i in 2022.
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