Fear has engulfed Deputy President William Ruto’s camp over 2022 succession politics, with details emerging that he could have been sidelined by President Uhuru Kenyatta in favour of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
According to sources, Ruto has been kept in the dark over developments in the house on the hill, with him serving as a ceremonial Deputy President.
Sources within Ruto’s 2022 Focus Team indicate that Raila’s appointment as the High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa came as news to Ruto at the Bukhungu stadium during the Mashujaa Day Celebrations, just like an ordinary Kenyan.
Ruto allies believe that Raila’s appointment to the African Union was a plot by President Kenyatta to shine brighter the former Premier’s star in preparation for 2022.
Also, the position is meant to help the ODM leader amass wealth from potential ‘donors’. The ‘donors’ include global companies that engage in multi-trillion projects with countries. The companies work through regimes, and if the current developments are anything to go by, Raila regime will be the leeward.
This has caused jitters in his camp, with evident daylight rebellion by his allies to President Kenyatta citing ‘betrayal’.
Recently the country witnessed a walk-out by Ruto-allied MPs in Bomet during a presidential function.
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During the walk-out, President Kenyatta had delayed his arrival for more than six hours due to a ‘tight schedule’. However, sources have it that the MPs were planning to intimidate and force the President to declare his support for Ruto come 2022.
Through National Intelligent Service (NIS), the President delayed as if to send a silent message that ‘you cannot intimidate me’. Further still, the group was denied a chance to speak despite being ‘high profile politicians’, in their home turf. It was enough signal that the President was not going to entertain them, the reason they walked out.
Kahawa Tungu has learnt that Ruto has been funding several groups to try and push the President to declare his support for him in the 2022 presidential race.
One group, the Rift Valley Council of Elders has been challenging President Kenyatta to declare his support for Ruto. In one meeting with the DP, word has it that they were given Ksh50,000 each to drive the agenda.
“We challenge Uhuru to come out clear and say whether he still supports Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid,” said Karanja Kabange, one of Ruto allies in the Rift Valley Council of Elders.
The DP was further dealt a blow by the Presidency, with his operatives within the state house being thrown out, the reason he has remained in the dark on major state house developments.
The DP’s camp thought Raila was finished after the ‘mock swearing in’ this year which saw his security detail withdrawn. However, after the handshake which Ruto was not aware of, Raila’s security detail was restored to his eight homes and six offices, giving him round the clock security and chase cars.
Unlike Ruto, Raila has direct access to the State House and the President’s private residence.
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According to sources, Jimmy Wanjigi, Raila’s right hand man has been on the forefront in the plan to disappoint Ruto come 2022. It is said that he has been accompanying Raila to President Kenyatta’s private residence, where they have drinks till late.
Sources privy to the plan indicate that Raila will use Wanjigi as his proxy in awarding contracts to Chinese companies, a move that will amass wealth for Raila in 2022 bid.
Also, Wanjigi will be on a revenge mission against Ruto, who allegedly sidelined him after the 2013 general elections. Ruto took over what Wanjigi was supposed to transact in terms of tenders, hence the fall out that saw him (Wanjigi) shift to the Raila camp.
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