By The Weekly Vision Reporter
Political analysts now agree that the ongoing rift between President William Ruto and his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, may become difficult to reverse in future if the situation cannot be stopped now. A well-known political commentator also told The Weekly Vision how President Ruto could be implementing a well-thought-out plan to undermine his deputy by limiting his influence and political clout ahead of the 2027 elections.
The commentator adds that the rate at which the Deputy President (DP) is being marginalized within the UDA and Kenya Kwanza government, clearly points towards a deliberate plot to remove him from power before 2027. The president seems to have developed a plan to limit his deputy’s influence solely to the Mount Kenya region by strategically positioning several politicians to counter his movement and actions. But in light of the unfolding events in the UDA party, it appears that the DP is not going to idly stand by while his boss and his key allies continue to embarrass him; he plans to fight back. The fight is expected to be intense—more intense than the one Kenyans witnessed between Uhuru Kenyatta and his DP, William Ruto, before the last general elections.
Sources say President Ruto plans to arm-twist his deputy in the UDA party elections by denying him a chance to become the sole deputy party leader. Insider information suggests that the DP’s allies may also face expulsion from the party or be defeated in the elections, enabling the president to seize absolute control of key party positions at both the county and national levels.
The source adds that the party elections will be structured in a way that ensures the DP and his allies face defeat. It is essential to note that UDA party acting SG Cleophas Malala was handpicked by the president himself from Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC for this specific purpose and handed the responsibility of overseeing the party’s election management.
One may wonder what prompted William Ruto to pick Mr. Malala, a non-UDA member, for this important position. Sources say the president may have picked Mr Malala as a way of denying Mr Gachagua and his allies the chance to take control of UDA party affairs. Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, a key ally of Mr Gachagua, has demanded his removal from the office of Mr Malala and be replaced by an individual from the Mount Kenya region.
Nairobi
The deputy president is said to have made considerable financial investments in the UDA party campaigns, especially in Nairobi. His efforts are meant to support Mr. James Gakuya MP Embakasi North in his pursuit for the UDA Party chairmanship in Nairobi to challenge Governor Johnson Sakaja, who is President Ruto’s preferred candidate. Analysts say that if Governor Sakajja emerges victorious in the UDA party elections over Mr Gakuya, then the DP should remove himself from President Ruto’s political equation in 2027.
The president plans to place his trusted individuals in key positions within the UDA party leadership, effectively leaving out the DP and his allies. The president’s strategy involves placing his trusted people from the Mount Kenya region to checkmate his DP within and outside the UDA Party. He also plans to appoint cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries, and parliamentary leaders with individuals who do not see eye to eye with his deputy. To that effect, the president has already appointed Mr. Ndindi Nyoro, chairman of the budget committee, Kimani Ichungwa as majority leader in the national assembly, Moses Kuria to the cabinet, and Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru has been propelled into a position of power to counter the deputy president’s influence. By focusing on keeping the DP engaged in addressing issues in the mountains and specific areas of Rift Valley, President Ruto seems to have adopted a strategy similar to that of the late President Daniel Arap Moi, who confined his vice president, the late George Saitoti, to the Maasai region.
