Why CCM party boss Ruto may join DP’s camp today

In what is likely to be a game changer in Rift Valley politics, Chama Cha Mashinani leader Isaac Ruto is today set to defect to Deputy President William Ruto’s camp ahead of the 2022 General Election.

The two who have had an on-and-off relations will be meeting face to face at Sotik in Bomet since 2018 when they met at a function at Siongiroi in Chepalungu constituency.

The DP will be in Bomet Central to commission the town’s access roads and hand over a bus to the national super league side Silibwet FC before heading to Sotik where he is set to handover buses to schools and later preside over a fund-raiser for boda boda saccos.

Ruto yesterday confirmed that he will attend the DP’s events but did not divulge more only saying; “I will be there to receive the visitor.”

Asked whether he has agreed to support the DP in the 2022 presidential race, the former Bomet governor said they were still in the process of negotiations.

“We are still in talks, I may be the one who needs his support in 2022, who knows,” he joked.

Wheelbarrow movement

A week ago, Ruto received a hostile reception in Kuresoi in Nakuru when he made a stopover with residents asking to join the wheelbarrow movement if he wanted to safeguard his political future.

“We love you but you have gone astray…if you want to save yourself from further humiliation and head to political oblivion work with the DP,” residents could be heard telling him in a video that went viral.

Ruto did not get time to address the residents anymore but instead entered his car and left in a huff.

It is this hostility that is believed to have made the once abrasive governor to agree to join the DP’s camp.

In 2013, he lost his bid to regain the Bomet gubernatorial seat to late governor Joyce Laboso after going against the DP.

Close sources confided to the People Daily that the Deputy President had a phone conversation with the CCM party leader at the weekend where they agreed to work together for the unity of the people in the region in the run up to the 2022.

It, however, remains to be seen if the friendship will be sustained until 2022 since Ruto is known for hoping from one camp to the other.

Last month, Ruto attended a Kanu party meeting in Bomet where he announced that he will support Baringo senator Gideon Moi should he declare his interest for the presidential seat.

He later came out and dismissed as untrue the statement after members from his party expressed reservations on the ‘arbitrary declaration’ without consultations.

In the run up to the 2017 election, Ruto joined hands with the National Super Alliance (Nasa) brigade before later ditching the camp and declaring support for Jubilee.