Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa has dismissed claims that he has since ditched Deputy President William Ruto's camp for ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi.
Mr Echesa was quoted rooting for Western Kenya alliance last week, claiming that Mr Musalia Mudavadi has come of age to take over the country's leadership.
And in an interview with Sunday Nation, Echesa said Mudavadi needs Dr Ruto more than he needs him. According to him, Dr is at pole position because he has 14 counties already on his side.
Mr Echesa has since “clarified” that he had not quit Dr Ruto’s camp. “We are still friends with DP and are behind him. We will however be happy to engage as partners, not as supporters like has been the case with politicians like Tinga (Mr Odinga),” he said.
Mr Echesa added: “When I shared a podium with Musalia it didn’t mean I have cut links with the DP, if anything, Musalia needs the DP more than the DP needs him, politically.
"At the start of the presidential race and before factoring external support, Musalia has been four counties in his basket, remember all this is not guaranteed given Tinga’s influence; yet the DP has 14 from his backyard.”
Last week, Mudavadi ruled out supporting any candidate in 2022, arguing that he supported KANU in 2002 before joining Raila in 2007 and 2017. He said his bid for State House was unstoppable.
“I did it deliberately because I did not want Raila or anyone else to blame me for not supporting them,” said Mudavadi as quoted by the Standard.
“I backed former President Daniel arap Moi, Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga before, the debt is over and 2022 is my turn,” said Mudavadi.