Photo/FILE Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto on their return from the Hague in April 2011. The G-7 hopes to work together and support one of its members for the presidency against Prime Minister Raila Odinga of ODM.
By LUCAS BARASA lbarassa@ke.nationmedia.com AND JULIUS SIGEIjsigei@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Saturday, October 15 2011 at 22:30
Posted Saturday, October 15 2011 at 22:30
The G-7 Alliance has adopted a new strategy as it seeks to diminish ODM’s popularity in the country ahead of next year’s elections.
The grouping has divided itself into two groups, with one side led by Eldoret North MP William Ruto and the other by Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta.
The Ruto group comprises Trade minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere, Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa, Dujis MP Aden Duale and former assistant minister Omingo Magara.
The Uhuru axis has Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Internal Security minister George Saitoti.
Mr Ruto told the Sunday Nation that the Uhuru group is to consolidate the Central and Eastern support as his side seeks control of the rest of the country from ODM. (READ: Unity will see G7 win poll, says Ruto)
The G-7 hopes to work together and support one of its members for the presidency against Prime Minister Raila Odinga of ODM.
Mr Ruto’s group is to campaign through UDM and is also counting on the support of former National Assembly Speaker Francis ole Kaparo, Information minister Samuel Poghisio and Turkana Central MP Ekwee Ethuro.
Mr Mwakwere and human rights activist Al-Amin Kimathi are to bring Coast and Muslim support, Mr Duale (North Eastern), Mr Magara the Kisii community while Mr Wamalwa is expected to swing the Western bloc the Ruto way through New Ford-Kenya.
On Saturday, Mr Duale told the Sunday Nation Mr Musyoka is required to keep his Eastern stronghold under his wings while Mr Kenyatta and Prof Saitoti are to consolidate the Central Kenya votes.
Mr Duale, a former assistant minister for Livestock, said 11 out of 13 MPs from North Eastern were already leaning towards UDM.
“Only Development of Northern Kenya minister Mohamed Elmi and Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim are still with Mr Odinga. In Upper Eastern all the MPs are with us,” he said.
The Dujis MP said in Rift Valley, UDM was working closely with Defence assistant minister Joseph Nkaiserry, and Mithika Linturi and Mr Silas Muriuki from the Meru region.
In Kisii, he said, UDM is targeting Nyaribari-Chache MP Robert Monda and North Mugirango’s Wilfred Ombui. The G-7 has declared it will support Mr Walter Nyambati to retain the Kitutu-Masaba seat in next month’s by-election.
Mr Ruto was recently hosted at a function in Bomachoge by MP Simeon Ogari. “We are happy we have already managed to attain a national outlook with more than 60 MPs in our camp,” Mr Ruto said.
A Thursday meeting at the former International Bible School in Nairobi, in which Mr Ruto hosted 33 MPs from various parties, was just one of the new tactics the MP has adopted in his bid to project a national image.
The presence of Gender minister Naomi Shaaban, Lands assistant minister MP Gonzi Rai and Garsen MP Danson Mungatana was seen as a big catch from Mr Ruto’s recent four-day fishing mission in the Coast. (READ: Ruto reaches out to MPs in poll strategy)
But Mr Mungatana has since denied he had joined the Ruto camp. The MP associated with Narc-Kenya said he attended the meeting to lobby for a motion on the departmental committee on justice, which he filed, and the Public Officers Parliamentary Bill, which is in committee stage.
He said his party, led by Gichugu MP Martha Karua, will go it alone next year. Ms Karua is running for president. But Narc-Kenya executive director Sande Oyolo has joined the Ruto group.
According to Mr Duale, Mr Ruto is to hold another meeting with Mr Wamalwa and Mr Kenyatta on Thursday to plan for 2012. He said the G7 leaders are determined to stay united.
“We will hold joint nominations. The number one and two candidates will become President and Deputy President while others will share the remaining slots like Speaker, Speaker of the Senate,” Mr Duale said.
Mr Ruto is one of the six suspects facing charges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague and analysts say he is the most energetic and visible of the G-7 leaders.
“A number of factors combine to make him the most passionate campaigner. He is young, less committed in that he no longer holds any ministerial post and he dislikes Raila enough to give him the energy to campaign,” said university lecturer, Solomon Waliaula.
Mr Ruto, 44, maintains a presence in the social network sites. During the charged rallies that preceded and succeeded the ICC appearances in April, he told his Kalenjin supporters that he was preparing the ground for the big prize.
Joint contest
“I am not a fool when you see me bringing people like Aden Duale and other leaders of the pastoralist communities. I am preparing the ground so that were a joint contest to be held I would bring in more to the basket,” Mr Ruto said at a prayer rally in Bomet.
The announcement and subsequent spreading of his tentacles across the country is understood to have been informed by misgivings by a cross-section of Kalenjin elders who were uncomfortable with his playing second fiddle to Mr Kenyatta.
The MP’s strategy to groom point men and women across the country has, however, sometimes unsettled the other partners.
Insiders say that three weeks ago Mr Musyoka, Mr Kenyatta and Prof Saitoti signed a memorandum of understanding in Karen and this, reportedly, is what informed remarks by Ruto-allied MPs that they would only be comfortable in the PNU Alliance as equal partners.
New pact
An aide of one of the leaders told the Sunday Nation that there is a-soon-to-be unveiled pact between Mr Ruto, Mr Kenyatta and Mr Wamalwa. This leaves out the VP.
Political analysts say Mr Ruto starts the race with support from seven Kalenjin counties, which gives him an advantage over other candidates
Besides West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Baringo, Kericho and Bomet, sizeable numbers of the Kalenjin community also occupy Trans Nzoia, Nakuru and Narok counties.
“The Constitution requires the winning candidate to get more than half of the cast votes in 24 out of the 47 counties despite winning more than 50 per cent of the popular vote. If he gets a strong running mate he can easily meet the threshold,” said Egerton University lecturer Dr Malawi Rotich.
Dr Rotich says Mr Ruto’s strategy of bringing in Mr Kaparo could solidify his clout in the rest of the Rift Valley, including Samburu and Kajiado.
The latest opinion polls by Infotrak Harris placed him at 7 percentage points in popularity. Mr Odinga led with 41 points.
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