That Deputy President William Ruto has chosen Ababu Namwamba to work with in future is not in question. But why?
Two reasons.
First is that Ababu represents the younger folk within the Orange Democratic Movement ODM and is known to be a calm and eloquent politician. He is loved in his Busia region and is expected in future to make a play for Luhya leadership supremacy.
By tracking him down, Ruto has ensured that for the 2017 elections, ODM will be an unhappy home and there will be no unity as is the case right now. That means less Luhya votes for Raila Odinga who will compete for the Presidency come the polls and better prospects for President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Ababu represents hope for Ruto to win the elusive Luhya vote by convincing Ababu to come on board as Deputy.
Secondly, for the 2022 elections which Ruto wants to take on the Presidency, With the Kikuyu vote having no guarantees, Ruto knows that that Ababu’s efforts to unify the Luhya community are not in vain and will bear fruit, which if so and considering the Luhya are the biggest tribe in Kenya by numbers will be more or less a straight ticket to State House.