The dissolution of United Republican Party (URP) to join the newly formed Jubilee party in 2016 was a step that can cost Deputy President William Ruto his 2022 presidential bid.
During that time, Ruto was still assured of president Uhuru Kenyatta’s endorsement and the maximum support of Mt Kenya region as promised during 2013 general elections and later in 2016 when URP and TNA came together to form the current Jubilee party.
URP was a strong party in the country which had the vote-rich Rift Valley region as its stronghold. In 2013 over 80 per cent of leaders elected from the Rift Valley region were on URP’s tickets.
The ongoing succession politics have led to early political debates but one thing is very clear, DP Ruto and his Rift Valley home region are no longer assured of the support of GEMA community.
In the event that Ruto will fail to get the Jubilee presidential ticket, then he will have to move out of the party, form another party or join an existing party if he will still need to fulfil his presidential ambitions. This will be a blow which will easily make him lose his presidential bid.
The existence of URP at the moment would have been an advantage to DP Ruto, his allies and the entire Rift Valley region since the party would just move out of the coalition and begin its own journey to state house if their partners would refuse to keep their promises.
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