Deputy President William Ruto’s voyage to State House started when he joined hands with President Uhuru Kenyatta before 2013.
Ruto and Uhuru were inseparable until African Union’s High Representative for Infrastructure Development Raila Amolo made a surprise U-turn and agreed to work with President Kenyatta.
The handshake between the two has caused jitters in DP Ruto’s camp.
Barely a month after Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho alleged that Raila asked his brigade to ensure Ruto doesn’t become President, the later met Baringo Senator Gideon Moi.
The four hour closed door meeting between the duo has left speculations that the two leaders are likely to form an alliance before 2022. Should the partnership occur, here are five ways Ruto can counter it.
First, Ruto must convince former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto to join his camp. He desperately needs the former county boss to counter the rebellion that could be spearheaded by Moi. He must also promise him goodies if he elected into power.
The former governor was influential before he went silent after NASA suffered a humiliating defeat in the August 2017 General elections. He still has the influence in the region and he cannot be underestimated as Uhuru’s succession debate heats up.
Secondly, Ruto has to reach out to the Western region to counter the influence of Raila. He needs the support of Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetangula to beat Raila at his own game.
The region has been divided in the past elections, and Ruto could bag millions of votes from the same. He has been making incessant trips to the region and they could bear fruits when that time comes.
Thirdly, Ruto needs support from Ukambani. He has to do everything within his means to win the heart of Former Vice President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka. If Kalonzo proves a hard nut to crack then he can seek the support of Machakos Governor Dr. Alfred Mutua to bag votes from the region when that time comes.
Fourthly, Ruto must divide the Coast region votes. He needs the support of Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya and other rebels from ODM to garner some votes from the region to make his presidential dream come true.
Fifth, Ruto needs the votes from Mt. Kenya region. President Uhuru Kenyatta is among the leaders who will determine the next commander in chief of the armed forces.
Ruto must be loyal to Uhuru until he completes his term in office if he wants to receive his endorsement. Despite rising temperatures in Jubilee, Ruto still stands out from other potential candidates in the contest for power.
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