A move by Deputy President William Ruto to support calls for a referendum is a political masterstroke, a political analyst has said.
Dismas Mokua said Ruto’s turnabout over the referendum is a genius move that will force his major political rival, Raila Odinga, back to the drawing board.
“DP’s move will force the ODM leader to the political drawing board if he was hoping that in opposing the referendum there would be capital over the matter,” Mokua said.
Ruto endorsed the referendum on Saturday during a trip to Tharaka Nithi. He said he has no issues with the referendum and urged those involved in drafting a referendum to do so and issue the date for a vote.
“We have no problem with the referendum but we have a problem with those lying to Kenyans that they agreed about having it during the handshake which is not true,” Ruto said.
The DP added: “There are those who are for the reduction of the burden from the people (Punguza Mzigo) and those who are for the creation of political positions, let them sit and agree on the issues that need to thrash out then come to us.”
The referendum differences between Raila Odinga, who initiated the move, and Ruto had been seen as a new political warfront between the two bigwigs ahead of 2022.
The Ruto camp became rattled the moment Raila made peace with President Uhuru Kenyatta on March 9.
Ruto camp sees the move as a scheme to redeem the 78-year-old season politician politically ahead of the 2022 presidential race.