Deputy President William Ruto on Tuesday at the coast appeared to go against his stance that leaders should dispense with politics and focus on issues that touch on the country's development.

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His tune has been that the country cannot start 2022 politics this early when there are priorities that need to be addressed but that tune changed as he spoke more forcefully about 2022 since the dramatic handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Mr Ruto indirectly weighed in on 2022 presidential election, telling the coastal region leaders that he was more than ready to engage with them moving forward.

''The coast will not be taken for a ride this time around. They will not accept Tibiiim and Tialala! Coasterians will sit down and decide on their issues. I am ready for us to sit down with you behind closed doors so that we can have a debate without coercion,'' Ruto told a cheering crowd.

His words are seen as an attempt to position himself for 2022 presidential politics and eat into the support of veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga who has had a stranglehold on the region for the longest time now.

Pundits argue that Ruto's move should worry Raila Odinga as he would be weaker without the coast should he gun for the top seat in 2022.