Deputy President William Ruto is said to have secretly registered a political party which he will use as a vehicle to vie for the Presidency in 2022.
According to sources, the party called Party of Democracy and Reforms (PDR) is hurriedly being prepared for a test of popularity in Matungu and Kabuchai with the IEBC deadlines almost cutting them off.
The Deputy President silently tested his influence through the People’s Empowerment Party in Gaturi (Murang’a) while it won the Kahawa Wendani ward seat which fell vacant following the death of Kahawa Wendani MCA Cyrus Omondi.
Apart from the parliamentary by-elections, Deputy President William Ruto’s party will field candidates in Hellsgate and London Wards (Nakuru), Kitise/Kithuku in Makueni, Huruma ward in Uasin Gishu and Kiamokama (Kisii).
As per the recently gazetted IEBC regulations, parties have to submit candidates by Monday December 28th to field candidates in the said by-elections.
The new Deputy President’s party details are as follows:
- Party Name: Party of Democracy and Reforms
- Party Symbol: Wheelbarrow
- Party Slogan: Kazi ni Kazi
- Colours: URP colours
The party currently has some MPs from North Eastern region including Wajir Women Rep, Fatuma Gedi.
Officials fronted by William Ruto includes political brokers Sande Oyolo, Langata MP Nixon Korir and South Mugirango MP Silvanus Osoro. The team plans to plant Johnston Muthama as the chairman soon.
In Lake View Ward in Naivasha, Deputy President’s team and finances were thrown behind New Democrats Party which also won. The team spread its wings in various parties to throw off the country’s intelligentsia with support for Mwangi Kiunjuri’s The Service Party being of note in Nakuru.
While Deputy President William Ruto has been pushing the common man’s aligned narrative, he has also tried to kill the big parties by spreading the love to small parties and ensuring that blocking a single party will not block his wave.
The victory in Gaturi-Muranga alarmed the deep state because the county if the home of those believed to be the moneyed members of the obscure power-wielding organ. Deputy President team led by the likes of Moses Kuria beat the deep state team including PS Joseph Irungu Wairagu (Water), Governor Wa Iria, Senator Irungu Kangata and Women Rep Sabina Chege without even Local MP Ndindi Nyoro coming out to campaign for the candidate.
But the impending launch of DP Ruto’s election machinery is not going to be without problems with many of the small parties thinking that they are being arm-twisted by a dictatorial candidate to fold their small parties without being listened to. They now think that Uhuru’s team is more democratic as they consulted and begged other parties to fold in the formation of the Jubilee Party.
The cry over the manner of formation of PDR is mainly in the Mount Kenya region where Deputy President William Ruto has concentrated his overtures.
Some mature politicians who would have liked to work with Ruto also see him as fond of novices and shady characters like Silvanus Osoro, Sande Oyolo, Benjamin Washiali and complete rough-heads like Susan Kihika and Boni Khalwale. The Ruto front-men are said to be arm-twisting other small parties with money and coercion to fold and join PDR for the impending launch.
While regions like Mount Kenya supports William Ruto, it’s not clear if they would jump away from known parties and support him in a new political formation as the leaders of Central Kenya would not be easily convinced to join a new political vehicle for 2022 election. The suspicion has been worsened by Ruto’s complete opposition to the one-man one-shilling mantra being pushed through by Central Kenya leaders. Ruto has also strongly opposed the creation of 70 more political constituencies with at-least 30 of the new constituencies being in Central Kenya region.
So the Central Kenya lieutenants of William Ruto believes they are being told to either join PDR or ship out. Others like Senator Kindiki Kithure and former Kiambu governor William Kabogo thought that they were going to join PDR but that’s not possible as the ground is hostile to some key ideas pushed by William Ruto.
William Ruto is also said to be eyeing the Machakos senatorial and Nairobi gubernatorial by-elections with his new formation. While People’s Empowerment Party is said to have approached Jimna Mbaru to be Nairobi candidate, PDR has been hijacked by Bishop Margaret Wanjiru who is determined to be the candidate. These two leaders don’t have strong support within the Central Kenya caucus of William Ruto.
For now, we can only wait to see how this will play out.
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