Sunday, July 10, 2011

Ruto’s foray into Coast may change 2012 polls game

Mr William  Ruto (right) is received at the Malindi Airport by Kaya elders led by the chairman Mr Charo Menza.  He was with Trade minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere (centre).

Photo/FILE Mr William Ruto (right) is received at the Malindi Airport by Kaya elders led by the chairman Mr Charo Menza on July 2, 2011. He was with Trade minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere (centre).
By SUNDAY NATION Team newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Saturday, July 9 2011 at 22:30

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When suspended Higher Education minister William Ruto toured the Coast region last week on a vote-hunting mission, he might not have known the magnitude of storm his visit would raise.
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While some politicians have branded the fiery politician a non-starter, others are keen to remind those opposed to the Eldoret North MP’s foray into the region that his rivals have not done better either.
“There is no difference between Ruto and Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka or even Kibaki himself,” said former Kisauni MP Ananiah Mwaboza.
“But what Ruto has done is that he has guaranteed the Coast either a presidential candidate or running mate slot in 2012.”
Coast Parliamentary Group (CPG) assistant chairman Gideon Mung’aro, also Malindi MP, dismissed as inconsequential Mr Ruto’s tour of Malindi, Magarini and Kilifi. Mr Mung’aro said Mr Ruto was wasting his time in the area as the Coast was solidly an ODM zone.
The differences in opinion notwithstanding, politics in the region is bound to take a new twist with Mr Ruto’s campaign to woo local leaders to his camp.
The move is likely to send the political bigwigs hoping to secure the region’s votes to the drawing board.
ODM and other parties are expected to face a major challenge after two Cabinet ministers and an assistant minister from the region rallied to Mr Ruto’s side and expressed support for the United Democratic Movement (UDM).
These are Special Programmes minister Naomi Shabaan, her Trade counterpart Chirau Ali Mwakwere and Medical Services assistant minister Kazungu Kambi.
Their announcement comes just a few weeks after Mvita MP Najib Balala publicly announced that he had ditched the Ruto camp and could be back to the one identified with Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Mr Mwakwere said that only those seeking the presidency will get support from the Coast, but on condition that they share out top posts.
“Coast people have been left behind for so many years and this time unless we are allocated a special seat we will not support anybody.
“I have decided to stand with Mr Ruto because we feel we have a bigger share,” said Mr Mwakwere.
Mr Ruto said he had held talks with Mr Mwakwere, Dr Shabaan, assistant minister Samuel Gonzi Rai and Mr Kambi who, he added, had agreed to work with him.
His presidential bid, however, faces a major hurdle; the crimes against humanity charges against him at the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague.
Whether he and five other Kenyans accused of masterminding the post-election violence will face trial could be known by the end of the year depending on the outcome of confirmation of charges hearings set for September.
Committing Mr Ruto to trial would spell doom to his 2012 presidential dream. At the Coast rallies, he put a brave face and repeated claims that some people wanted him at the ICC “so that they could perpetuate the culture of corrupt leadership where only a few millionaires control the millions of oppressed, hopeless and poverty-stricken Kenyans”.
Mr Mwaboza said Coast politicians were engaged in “high-level negotiations” with UDM, and would use the Kadu Asili party as the vehicle for those negotiations.
“We have also talked about bringing on board other parties, including Shirikisho Party of Kenya,” he said.
Former Wundanyi MP Mwandawiro Mghanga said there was nothing wrong in Mr Ruto wooing the Coast vote, since other politicians were doing the same.
He said the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which sponsored him to Parliament between 2002 and 2007, would welcome a partnership with UDM.

But celebrations among Mr Mwakwere’s allies that their man will be Mr Ruto’s running mate in UDM may turn out to be premature.
Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo said that party members have yet to settle on anyone to be the presidential candidate in 2012.
UDM, Mr Jirongo said, will hold its grassroots elections early next year and that delegates will decide the party’s flag bearer.
“We shall nominate the UDM flag bearer by February next year when the party holds its grassroots elections to pick delegates to comply with the new Political Parties Act,” said Mr Jirongo.
The MP insisted that the UDM nominations will have a national outlook, saying they will back whoever is elected as the flag bearer.
Reported by Gitonga Marete, Anthony Kitimo and Daniel Nyassy

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