Why Rift Valley veterans are joining Azimio

Senior political figures from the Rift Valley are trooping to the Azimio La Umoja movement led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga following concern that Deputy President William Ruto prefers working with younger politicians from the region in his quest for the presidency.

Despite odds stacked against them politically owing to the DP’s popularity in the region, the politicians are slowly finding comfort in Raila’s movement and it is expected the number of those shifting camps will go up as August elections near.

Since emerging as the region’s political kingpin, Ruto has publicly displayed his preference for younger politicians leaving the veterans gasping for breath as they struggle to catch his attention.

Last Thursday, Raila received high-profile figures from the region led by Senate Deputy Speaker Margaret Kamar and former Cabinet Minister Sally Kosgey who expressed their readiness to work with him as he seeks to replace President Uhuru Kenyatta who is leaving office in August.

Leaders who joined Azimio are former Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo, Gender Chief Administrative Secretary Linah Jebii Kilimo and former Bureti MP Paul Sang who have now been handed the task of promoting Azimio in the region. Others in the entourage were former MPs Stephen Tarus (Emgwen), Joseph Misoi (Eldoret South) and ODM North Rift coordinator Kipkorir arap Menjo.

Yesterday, Menjo said the decamping to Azimio was just starting, saying many people were on the way to join the movement.

“There were many other senior figures who we re there but did not want their photos to be taken. If they had been, people would have really been shocked at the new developments,” he told People Daily.

He added that the feeling among many veterans was that Raila was accommodative and had the support of the government and enjoyed a higher chance of forming the next government.
“No one wants to be left out of government,” he added.

Before them, Raila had already acquired the support of Elgeyo-Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos and his West-Pokot counterpart John Lonyangapuo, who together with Nakuru’s Lee Kinyanjui, have promised to go out and fetch as many votes for his fifth presidential bid in the vast region.

Different wavelengths.

Tolgos, one of the rising politicians from the region who have fallen out with the DP, recently told People Daily senior politicians from the Rift Valley needed recognition and appreciation for what they had contributed in the development of the region during their heyday.

The governor, who accompanied the leaders when Raila hosted them, has exuded confidence the ODM leader was attracting increasing support in the region despite perception it was solidly behind Ruto.

“We will go to the grassroots to sell Baba’s candidature. Where we come from there is a perception that there is a preferred candidate and Raila has no support. But as I stand here I want to confirm that Baba has followers in every corner of this country,” said Tolgos when he joined other governors to endorse Raila’s candidature.

Ruto and Kamar have always operated on different political wavelengths although the DP intervened to have her elected as senator in the last elections. In a tough contest, the DP took upon himself to beseech the residents to vote for Kamar who replaced him as Higher Education minister when he was sacked in 2011 following his indictment by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity committed during the 2007 post-election elections.

Kamar was making a comeback after her unsuccessful attempt to be the first governor of Uasin Gishu in 2013 when she vied on ODM and lost to Jackson Mandago.

The two have since fallen out after Kamar was picked as Senate Deputy Speaker to replace Ruto’s staunch supporter, Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki, during a purge of his allies in 2020 after he fell out with Uhuru.

Kosgei, former Aldai MP, is a veteran politician from the North Rift. She is still a respected figure owing to her prominence during President Moi’s tenure and the role she played in mediation talks after the disputed 2007 election.

She also stuck with Raila in 2013 as she sought to defend her seat when Ruto’s party United Republican Party reigned supreme in the region. She lost in the election.

Ruto and Kosgei appeared to have fallen out when the latter was picked to replace him by Raila when he was transferred from the lucrative Agriculture docket following a maize scandal in 2010.

Kimaiyo vied for Elgeyo-Marakwet senate seat in 2017 but came a distant second to incumbent Kipchumba Murkomen. He is seeking the seat on the same party and might face Murkomen and Tolgos, who also recently declared his interest as he serves his last term as area governor.
Political gamble

Kilimo, a veteran politician from the North Rift who was MP between 2002 and 2013, controversially lost to Kangogo Bowen in the Jubilee nominations in 2017 as she attempted a comeback to Parliament after five years in the cold. She abandoned the party and vied as an independent candidate in the General election but could still not beat Bowen who was declared the winner.

She got a temporary reprieve when the High Court ruled in her favour declaring Kangogo’s election null in 2018 but the Court of Appeal later overturned the decision. President Uhuru appointed her Livestock and Fisheries CAS in 2020 but has since been moved to Gender.

Political analyst Philip Chebunet, however, said those who decamped might not carry a lot of political weight with them adding that Ruto still enjoyed solid support.

“They are trying their luck elsewhere. It is a political gamble for them. They were in power and may want to continue enjoying power elsewhere. Those going to Raila are aware that they have no chance in Rift Valley. Right now, DP Ruto is unassailable in Rift Valley,” said Chebunet.

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