[Deputy President William Ruto during a past rally. His political influence in South Rift is said to be on the declining verge. Photo/Nation]
With August polls around the corner, DP William Ruto is fighting endless wars to keep Rift Valley, a region he has commanded for a decade now.
His rise in politics has been hard fought given that he had to defy retired president Daniel Moi in 2005 and subsequently joined forces with Raila Odinga whom he has since fallout with.
But with opinion polls showing Odinga’s rise in Rift Valley, Ruto is fighting for his political life as his 2022 presidential bid hangs of a thread.
“He was booed in Elgeyo and even in Kericho. He is reaping from his arrogance and we shall teach him a lesson,” said Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto in Nakuru recently.
“I want to assure you that he will see presidency on a side mirror. We are tired with his dictatorship and we shall not sleep until we see him out,” added Emurua Dikir MP Johana Ng’eno on Monday.
In what is seen as battle for supremacy, Governor Rutto, Ng’eno and Narok West MP Patrick Ntutu have been leading the rebellion against the DP.
To make his political fortunes dwindle further, Ruto is also engulfed in supremacy battle with Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, who has also announced his 2022 intention.
And his tour in the Rift Valley with President Uhuru Kenyatta subjected him to reality when he had his speech interrupted in a number of market centres they made stopovers.
An opinion poll by Ipsos Synovate recently projected Odinga’s popularity at 32 percent, the largest since 2013 elections.