Although insiders have publicly pointed to the existence of "some teething problems", particularly between Uhuru and Ruto, the three remain tight-lipped on the subject.
Ruto’s private meeting with councillors from Uasin Gishu last Saturday where he was reportedly dissuaded against playing second fiddle to Uhuru may have poisoned the relations. And the latter’s last-minute decision not to join Ruto at a funds drive in aid of a church in Eldoret, did not help matters.
 |
| From left: Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, VP Kalonzo Musyoka, and Eldoret North MP William Ruto are in the 2012 presidential race. Photo: File/Standard |
Serious workBut reached for comment, the DPM, who is also Finance minister, reacted curtly: "I do not want to engage in speculation right now. I am engrossed in serious work on the Budget."
Political science lecturer at University of Dodoma, Tanzania, Amukowa Anangwe maintains Kenyans may be witnessing the beginning of the end of Uhuru-Ruto political pact.
"The suspicion between the Kikuyu and Kalenjin is deeply rooted that the two cannot possibly surmount. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the Kikuyu complained of a chain of misdeeds under the Moi administration and the payback to the Kalenjin by the Kibaki Government," observes the former Cabinet minister.
But that the two leaders alongside the VP remain in touch raises doubts about their perceived personal differences. Of particular interest is the coincidence in the launch of the presidential bids by Kalonzo, Uhuru and Ruto this week. Uhuru was the first to set up his campaign secretariat, while Ruto’s declaration came through during an interview via local Kalenjin radio stations Kass FM and Chamgei FM on Monday and Friday.
In what seems a well-choreographed strategy, the VP took cue on Friday and on Saturday, during public functions in Eldoret and Kitui towns, to say he was also assembling his 2012 presidential campaign team.
According to a PNU strategist, what is happening is not the collapse of the Kalonzo-Uhuru-Ruto forces, but rather a strategy to force a presidential runoff. This follows deliberations to the effect that crafting a line-up at this stage would be divisive.
History and International Relations lecturer at United States International University, Macharia Munene says the entire PNU strategy revolves around neautralising strongest challenger, Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
"The PM remains the focus in these machinations. Having staged two presidential campaigns, with the last nearly successful, one cannot ignore this experience," says Munene.
Indeed, Kalonzo, Uhuru and Ruto do not seem moved by claims regarding the alleged bad blood among them, believably fuelled by cutthroat political competition.
And speaking on Kass FM in a message specifically meant his core supporters in parts of Rift Valley; Ruto explains part of the plot.
Ruto says presidential aspirants in his camp shall hold separate campaigns and finally support the best among them to face the rival candidate – presumably Raila of the Orange Democratic Movement.
Eldama Ravine MP Moses Lesonett, who was among the first to let out the secret last December, puts it even better.
"Wengine wapitie njia hii na wengine njia ile nyingine, halafu tutakutana huko mbele katika barabara kubwa (Some should use this path and the others a separate one, so that we meet on a wider road ahead)," Lessonet said during a funds drive in his constituency. PNU insiders say the three have in essence agreed to hold primaries to pick one of them to face Raila. The finer details regarding at what stage of the contest the primaries should take place remain debatable.
According to our source, there have emerged two groups, in favour of primaries ahead of the main polls and going solo all the way to the ballot and rallying behind the best of them.
Joining hands"Those in favour of primaries argue it is needless to subject our supporters in electoral fatigue when we can join hands and finish off this business in the first round. But those for the ballot argue primaries could prove fatal by dividing our leaders," says the strategist.
Either way, Anangwe warns of legal and tribal arithmetic impediments. Unless the primaries are done six months ahead of the General Election and losers persuaded to defect to the winner’s party, the lecturer says the plot could run into a legal hurdle. "Even at a personal level, Uhuru and Ruto may have struck a chemistry as individuals, but the political circumstances warrant they go separate ways," says the former Cabinet minister.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment