Two legislators from Rift Valley believes the delayed access of Deputy President William Ruto to Daniel Moi's Kabarak is a wider scheme to isolate him from succession politics.
In May, Ruto was blocked from accessing the retired president, a move his allies insist was orchastrated by those intending to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“Any visit to an elder shouldn’t be restricted, but I want to assure that their plans will not work as the 2022 race is already decided. The DP will win with resounding approval by Kenyans," Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei said.
Soy MP Caleb Kositany said he and his colleagues, on Mr Ruto's side, have a request that has been pending for several months and once it goes through they will visit the 94-year-old leader.
“These visits are clearly political, but politics which are not headed anywhere. It seems the son (Gideon) feels we don’t support him hence we should not meet the Mzee (Mr Moi)," said Mr Kositany, a close ally of the DP.
The MP said even though they have requested to visit under the auspices of the Rift Valley Senators and MPs Parliamentary Group chaired by Mr Kipchumba Murkomen, they will insist on going with Mr Ruto.But Moiben MP Silas Tiren, who has had unlimited access to Kabarak thanks to his close association with Senator Moi, said the visits should not be politicised.
"Looking at his (Mr Moi) statement he wants Kenyans to remain united. He wants those seeking leadership positions not use force. Mzee is happy seeing leaders reaching out to each other,” he said.https://mobile.nation.co.ke/news/politics/Moi-visits-plot-to-isolate-Ruto--say-Rift-MPs/3126390-4858068-item-1-v3wqqb/index.html.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, ODM leader Raila Odinga and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho are among the first people to visit the elderly Moi in what analysts link to succession politics.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Eugene Wamalwa and Cotu leader Francis Atwoli are among those who have visited Kabarak.