It is now evident that allies of Deputy President William Ruto are not reading from the same script concerning the fate of Jubilee Party.
While some have threatened to ditch President Uhuru Kenyatta-led outfit on what they term as mistreatment of the DP, others have vowed that no matter what happens, they won't decamp from the ruling party.
Speaking during the burial of Bomet East legislator Beatrice Kones’s son Collins Kipyegon, a section of Rift Valley leaders led by Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen threatened to leave Jubilee if Uhuru fails to come out and defend his deputy from his opponents.
They accused ODM leader Raila Odinga of using his truce with the Head of State and the renewed war on corruption to scuttle Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid.
"You cannot hide behind the handshake and fight against graft when we know that the agenda is to fight Ruto politically. Uhuru should come out and tell us he is tired with his deputy and we will call it a day," Murkomen said, as quoted by the Standard.
However, his Nandi counterpart Samson Cherergai has opposed plans to leave Jubilee saying the current friction over handshake won't force Ruto out.
In an exclusive interview on Citizen TV on Monday, Cherergai said the relationship between Uhuru and his deputy was still intact despite the 'cosmetic handshake' of March 9, 2018.
"No one will leave Jubilee, how do you run from your home? Jubilee was built on a strong foundation of unity and the real handshake. What we have now is a cosmetic handshake, the real one happened in 2013," the vocal Senator said.
Ruto, who is deputy party leader, is yet to comment on the issue of ditching the ruling party but has repeatedly accused Raila of rocking Jubilee.