Decisive moment as presidential race gains momentum

President Uhuru Kenyatta has finally parted ways with his deputy William Ruto, creating a new dimension in the hotly contested succession race.

Starting from his meeting with Central Kenya leaders at Sagana last week and culminating in the weekend Jubilee Party’s National Delegates Conference, the President scathingly reprimanded his deputy, suggesting that he was unfit for the top office.

Ruto and his allies were also formally evicted from the rebranded Jubilee, although they had long quit the party to join the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), t

hat has roped in Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC) and Moses Wetangula’s Ford-Kenya in the Kenya Kwanza grouping.

Asserting that he will fully participate in national politics after the end of his two terms, the President severed ties with Ruto and cemented a new political pact with Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga.

By attending the ODM national delegates conference accompanied by Raila who had also joined him at the Jubilee fete, he affirmed the two parties would work together-throwing his weight behind Azimio la Umoja; the vehicle the ODM leader will run on in the presidential contest.

Azimio is edging closer to a coalition pact with the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Kanu’s Gideon Moi, Martha Karua (Narc Kenya), Cyrus Jirongo (UDP) and the Wafula Wamunyinyi-led Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya.

While Ruto has downplayed the President’s endorsement of Raila, the move is causing major ripples with other rejuvenated political outfits signing cooperation agreements with Jubilee.

Should President Uhuru succeed in rallying his vote-rich support base in the Mt Kenya region behind his new partnership in Azimio, OKA and a host of other parties, then Ruto will face a formidable task, especially in Central Kenya where he is banking on votes to consolidate his Rift Valley stronghold.

He still wields influence in the region, courtesy of his political association with the President dating back to 2013 when they were elected into office. However, the relationship started souring after the 2017 election and the rift deepened following the March 2018 Handshake with Raila.

The chasm continued when Ruto was stripped of many of his responsibilities as he continued to criss-cross the country criticising the government, mounting political campaigns for the presidency and hosting large delegations at his official Karen residence.

He has since stepped up his criticism in fiery campaigns backed by vocal Mt Kenya leaders touting his “bottom-up” slogan, wooing disgruntled unemployed youth to his hustler movement with promises of jobs and financial support.

Now that the electoral battle lines are being drawn, the stage is set for the contestants to unveil their manifestos, addressing the key issues facing the country, especially those relating to the economy, development and inclusivity.

Responding to Ruto’s criticism, Uhuru has repeatedly stated that his administration has grown the economy and made great development strides, especially in infrastructure growth, promoting peace and building national cohesion.

As he continues with his relentless criticism of the government he is serving in, Ruto has been quick to claim credit for its achievements, a matter that has rankled the President.

In publicly criticising his boss and openly trying to influence opinion against him in his backyard, he opened a battlefront that could prove counter-productive.

With the President leading Jubilee in a robust campaign for Azimio jointly with Raila and the formidable array of political parties, Ruto faces the biggest political battle of his life.