A senior Kenyan banker cum economic advisor has predicted a possible alliance between Deputy President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
The two protagonists have been at loggerheads for seven years now with Dr Ruto accusing Odinga of using handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta to antagonise him.
For 18 months, Ruto has struggled to tame Mr Odinga, whose relationship with President Uhuru Kenyatta has been blossoming for months.
But Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority advisor Mohamed Wehliye says a coalition between Mr Odinga and Ruto could be on the offing.
According to him, the handshake between the duo will shape 2022 politics, adding that it should not be ruled out.
"Politics of Parliamentary vs Presidential system will most likely bring Raila and Ruto to one side of that divide. And then they could decide to be together on that side for a while. The 2nd handshake, rather than the 1st, could define siasa ya 2022. Who knows," he said.
Ruto worked with Raila in 2007 polls which led to creation of grand coalition goverment. He quit Odinga's team in 2011 before teaming up with Uhuru Kenyatta.
But Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu has dismissed the assertions, arguing that Mr Odinga would rather court Mt Kenya than Dr Ruto.
"Not this time. Nyanza has also suffered lack of adequate representation so the one-man-one-vote call is attractive to Raila. And Raila is not competing with Mt Kenya this time, infact he would prefer they support him. No better way than to support what they want," he said.