While his tone in public over creation of Prime Minister post has been unforgiving, Deputy President William Ruto could be after all supporting the same.
For months now, Dr Ruto has been struggling to have a formal position with regard to constitutional changes, often insisting that he's for development first.
But a number of his allies are backing the parliamentary system of government, a move that could further give insights about Ruto's true position.
Leader of Majority in the National Assembly Aden Duale’s recent pronouncements have been the most telling. A key Ruto confidant, Duale said he will support a constitutional review if it will push the country into a parliamentary system of government.
“Because it will give equal opportunities to all the communities to get a share of leadership positions,” he said.
The thinking within the camp, as expounded by Belgut MP Nelson Koech, is that an expanded executive will get Ruto more bargaining power as he will have the presidency and premier slots to dole out to his key support bases.
“We have the numbers, it makes our work easier. Let them bring it,” Koech said.
David Kigochi, Farmers Party leader and Ruto’s newfound ally has also waded into the debate, saying Raila’s team could be in for a rude shock over the referendum.
“They only need to do small calculations and they will begin to realise that the more they try to isolate the DP, the further they get away from the object of their fancy -- the PM post. Even that, the DP will have,” Kigochi told Sunday Standard.
ODM leader Raila Odinga has already endorsed Parliamentary system, arguing that the system will accommodate many communities in leadership.
“We realised that corruption, poverty and lack of inclusiveness was gripping the nation. That is why we formed the BBI to collect views from Kenyans,” he said.
“Some people are claiming that the referendum is for a few people to get positions. What we want is the oneness of Kenya,” he said in an apparent reference to Deputy President William Ruto, who voiced his opposition to the calls yesterday in Busia.
However, at Busia on Saturday, Dr Ruto insisted that the country is not ready for constitutional amendments, adding that Odinga has been subjecting Kenyans to unnecessary politics.
“It’s not possible that we politic during general elections and continue with the same at the time we should be working hard to improve lives of residents. We will not entertain politics of creating positions for a few individuals at the expense of delivering services and empowering Kenyans," he Ruto said as quoted by Daily Nation.