With Western Kenya being among the most populous regions after Mount Kenya, boasting over 2.6 million registered voters, both President William Ruto and the United Opposition are eyeing these numbers.

The president, especially after his stellar performance in the Malava by-election and Kabras West, has moved quickly, setting up teams of local leaders in the region to campaign for him.

The first campaign machinery that Ruto has established is headed by Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka, deputised by Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula.

Dubbed the Western Region Ruto Campaign Caucus, it comprises all the governors except their Trans-Nzoia counterpart, George Natembeya, who is firmly aligned with the United Opposition, as well as a handful of MPs and women representatives, including those from Vihiga, Bungoma, and Trans-Nzoia, who hold senior positions in the caucus.

Savula’s explanation

During a recent interview, Ayub Savula claimed to have been the brain behind this establishment. According to him, after the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) won the Malava by-election, he approached the president and expressed his full support, offering to help marshal the 2.5 million Luhya votes into Ruto’s basket.

He told the president, through a phone call, that he wanted National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, and Co-operatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya to remain at the national level and travel with the president from county to county, region to region, campaigning for him.

“Immediately after the Malava by-election, I called the president, and I told him I wanted to join you formally. He said, “Go ahead,” and asked what I needed. I told him I wanted to structure a team that would deliver votes for you in Western,” he recounted.

At the local level, within the Mulembe counties, they should leave it to him (Savula) and Lusaka to comb through all the western villages in a bid to popularise Ruto.

Atwoli’s plan

Savula added that the COTU Secretary-General, Francis Atwoli, has endorsed this move and is also set to meet elders who used to support the late Raila Odinga to transfer their loyalty to Ruto.

Savula further outlined another campaign machinery: the Western Kenya Parliamentary Caucus, headed by Sirisia MP John Waluke, aimed at mobilising the vote-rich region to support President Ruto. The MPs’ caucus, also deputised by Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera, is set to work in tandem with the Lusaka-led faction.

However, Waluke recently came out to debunk the Lusaka-led campaign setup, claiming that it undermines the parliamentary caucus, which has existed longer. He stated that if Lusaka and Savula want to form a caucus, they should create one that involves the governors and stop meddling in the MPs’ caucus.

Wetang’ula-Mudavadi joint alliance

On the other hand, Moses Wetang’ula is pushing for an alliance between himself, Mudavadi, and former Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya to comb the Western region for votes for the president.

He urged them to join hands since they are the only leaders from the region at the top and can help Ruto secure his second term. He added that after President Ruto finishes his term, he will hand over the presidency to them.

The three groups have been traversing the Western region in a bid to popularise Ruto. According to Savula, the Lusaka-Savula campaign machinery has been holding meetings and rallies across the region.

They have managed to identify aspirants who will vie under President Ruto’s party. In Kakamega alone, they have identified 334 aspirants: 49 eyeing the 12 constituencies, 149 for 60 wards, 3 gubernatorial aspirants, and 15 women representative aspirants.

“In Kakamega, we have managed to get 334 aspirants for these seats. There are only 12 constituencies, but we have 49 aspirants for MP seats, 148 for 60 ward seats, 15 for the one woman representative, and three for governor positions,” he said.

According to Savula, the region, which used to back the late Raila Odinga, has now transferred its loyalty to President William Ruto.