By The Weekly Vision Team
President William Ruto is making calculated moves to integrate Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC) and Moses Wetangula Ford-Kenya parties into his UDA party as part of his 2027 winning strategy. However, a political analyst who spoke to The Weekly Vision on condition of anonymity believes that there is a hidden agenda behind the move.
Allies of Mr Mudavadi and Wetangula faced a tense meeting in State House recently when President Ruto took the opportunity to directly request the two top political leaders from western Kenya to dissolve their parties and join UDA. He told them to publicly announce their decision before the June 1, 2024, Madaraka Day celebrations held in Bungoma.
Credible sources revealed that both Musalia and Wetangula turned down the proposal and expressed the need for further consultations. Rumours are circulating in town that Mr Wetangula took advantage of the situation to request an explanation from the president regarding his silence regarding attacks against him by Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya. According to sources, the president left the meeting with a single word: either comply with my demand or abandon Kenya Kwanza.
In a surprising turn of events, Mr Mudavadi appears to have welcomed the president’s idea after a week of consultation with his trusted allies. As a result, he has now established a team to meticulously address the intricate details of the merger process.
Moses Wetangula is still holding on to his previous position; he has firmly asserted that Ford-Kenya, being one of Kenya’s oldest political parties after Kanu, should not be amalgamated or collapsed. According to sources, Mr Wetangula reportedly delivered a direct message to the president when he stated that the dissolution of Ford-Kenya would significantly halt his political career.
However, talks are circulating that Mr Wetangula is now aiming to become the Bungoma governorship in 2027 and would not seek state positions in the event President Ruto wins in 2027. Speculation points towards Mudavadi’s interest in a potential alliance with Ruto in 2027, while other allegations are that Mr Wetangula may want to collaborate with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The drive to dissolve the ANC and Ford-Kenya parties is motivated by the president’s fear regarding the uprising against his administration in the Mount Kenya region. The president’s fear is grounded in the fact that he may not secure a significant number of votes as he did in 2022 when he won a substantial number of seats in the region.
The president’s circle reveals that he has a keen focus on the Luhya nation, considering them as a possible alternative to Mount Kenya if they opt for separate trajectories in 2027. It is alleged that his focus on the UDA party is motivated by his desire to influence the 2027 parliament. Recognising the substantial support for Ford-Kenya and the ANC in the Western region, he aims to secure the election of Luhya MPs and senators on his party’s platform to dominate parliament.
