NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 25 — The 2022 presidential race is now shaping up as a contest between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto.
Kenyatta who is constitutionally barred from seeking another mandate at the end of his second term in office has mounted a spirited campaign to sink Ruto’s ambitions to the advantage of his preferred successor, Raila Odinga.
The August 9 presidential election might be penned down in history as the most prominent political contest between an incumbent President and his deputy.
Despite the two having enjoyed enviable political bromance when they ascended to power in 2013, recent political rhetoric by Kenyatta portrays a man out to scuttle Ruto’s presidential ambition by diluting his influence across the country especially in Mt. Kenya region where the second in command enjoys significant support.
Odinga, his political rival turned friend is reaping heavily from the spoils as Kenyatta goes all out to campaign against Ruto.
For the first time, a sitting President has appeared to depart from the established norm of finalizing his development blueprint and securing a legacy before he exits office and instead joined the campaign trail to propel Odinga’s presidential ambitions.
“I want leaders who want to work in unity with others not to who poke on others. I have no issue with anyone, but we must speak the truth. Lies are for today and tomorrow they will die. I have no issue with anyone, lets join hands with that old man (Raila), we can support this my man (Ruto) once he toes the line,” he said.
Kenyatta has gone the extra mile to advise his deputy to shelve his political ambitions saying he needs a little refining before he is trusted with the top most seat in government.
“I told them to stop politicking its time will come and they didn’t hear. They are just moving in cars and dancing to tunes, you will never see them in office. I would rather work with a man seated on a stool than an uncircumcised boy on a tree. Let me stick to my old man (Raila),” he told delegates.
Kenyatta who is self-declared Mt. Kenya Kingpin is strategizing to lock the rich vote Mt. Kenya voting basket behind Odinga.
Ruto has since been making inroads in the region with his political bandwagon majorly comprising of leaders from the mountain, majorly Muranga and Nyeri counties.
The uphill task for Kenyatta being to unite the Mt Kenya leaders who are spilt between his camp and that of his deputy.
The Deputy President appears to have read the signs and challenged Odinga to face him instead of “hiding behind President Kenyatta.”
“I respect the President’s decision to support Odinga, it is his democratic right. However, Odinga should know the competition is not between me and President Kenyatta. The competition is between me and Odinga,” he said.
Ruto has sustained his campaigns in central Kenya to fight of President Kenyatta’s efforts to regain control of the populous region which plays a major role in determining the outcome of presidential races owing to its numerical strength.
In the much anticipated twin National Delegate Convention between Jubilee and Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement party, close to ten political parties are set to join Azimio la Umoja Movement.
Most regional parties, some formed to challenge existing ones after unsuccessful attempts to stage party coups, are set to campaign for Odinga at the grassroot level ahead of the August 9 polls
Ruto is facing a tough task to ensure Odinga’s endorsement will not deal a blow his presidential ambition and his Kenya Kwanza Alliance that brings together Musalia Mudavadi (ANC) and Moses Wetangula (Ford Kenya) will not be swallowed by Azimio la Umoja Movement in their political strongholds.
