Faced with the reality that the ground is shifting, and that chances of him losing the presidential race are now real, William Ruto has gone back to the drawing board and formed a crisis team to advise him on the best strategies of winning the polls. Talk of a plot to rig elections is part of the strategy to win sympathy among Kenyans.
The team that comprises technocrats, lawyers, political scientists, ex-intelligence officers, media moguls and other professionals is now drawing the DP’s strategies in the hunt for votes. Weekly Citizen has established that the team comprises of former cabinet ministers Kipruto Kirwa, Sally Kosgei, Henry Kosgey, David Ndii, Augustine Cheruiyot and Mugambi Mureithi. Others are Raphael Munavu, Joseph Nzomoi, Peter Lewa, Kithiyo Matemo, Emmanuel Mutisya, Dennis Mwangangi, Pius Kathusya, Turkana governor Josphat Nanok and Korir Sing’oei, the head of law and policy at the DP’s office.
Also in the team is David Muge, the face behind the deputy president’s fundraising. The chairman of the crisis committee is Muge. Also on the list are lawyers Katwa Kigen, Eliud Owalo and Edward Kisiangani. The crisis team is to advise how to handle the burning party nominations issues in its perceived strongholds, if any plot to rob his votes during the August polls, and how to counter, and of course, how to avoid losing ground by once time allies now defecting.
The crisis team’s headache is how to solve the looming nomination nightmare, raise funds and how to stop the planned rigging? The issue of rigging presidential election in favour of the DP’s opponent is the matter that needs urgent attention. Keen observers will have noticed that of late, Ruto has made it his pet project during his mammothly attended rallies. The DP has been trying to allay fears from his supporters that they cannot, and he cannot, allow his votes to be stolen as being the second in command, he is part of the deep state.
Rigging fears started after the DP received briefs from his intelligence networks in government by virtue of being second in command and his private security network that has Daniel Moi regime retired officers, that something is cooking. Ever since, Ruto allies are worried that a section of powerful people in government led by Interior cabinet secretary Fred Matiang’i, his PS Karanja Kibicho and ICT CS Joe Mucheru, have allegedly been tasked to block Ruto’s presidency at all costs.
Apart from Ruto, those targeted are his supporters among them MPs Rigathi Gachagua, Kimani Ichugw’a, Senator Irungu Kangata, Aisha Jumwa, Susan Kihika, Ben Washiali among others. It is the rigging fear that has seen Washiali and even Gachagua, signal that they will not defend their seats. Weekly Citizen has information, the issue of working on modalities of taking legal action to force the removal from office of ministers who support Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga presidential bid is part of the crisis team recommendations.
UDA is accusing Matiang’i and Mucheru of playing partisan politics in Uhuru Kenyatta succession race. At one time in a letter to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, the party claimed the ministers would be central to preparations for the polls due to their roles as heads of security and information technology. IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati in his reply letter to UDA dated November 5 2021 addressed to secretary-general Veronica Maina states.
“We wish to observe that whereas Section 23 of the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012 seems to give Cabinet Secretaries and County Executive Committee Members a lifeline to engage in political activity, that statutory provision no doubt falls foul of the Constitutional underpins under Chapter Six of the Constitution. There is need for all State officers and Public Officers to uphold political neutrality.”
Security ministry is key in polls providing security, while ICT ministry controls telecommunication organisations that are crucial in electronic transmission of votes. UDA has also raised issues with multi-agency team that oversees preparations for the elections. In her October 29 letter to Chebukati, Maina said the IEBC is an independent commission which, pursuant to Article 249 of the constitution, should not be subject to direction or control by any person.“In this regard, is it the Interior CS who should tell the IEBC what it needs as security support for the electoral process or it is IEBC which should define the level of support it requires to conduct the elections? “How are the other candidates and Kenyans supposed to have faith in a constitutional commission that is being run by the two partisan CSs? On this one, IEBC is playing on dangerous grounds, and it must stop forthwith!” wrote Maina.
The letter was copied to the African Union Commission, the Delegation of the European Union and the US and UK embassies in Nairobi. At one time, Ruto wrote a formal complaint to Chief Justice Martha Koome, urging her to keep off management of elections. The crisis team advised Ruto and UDA to copy the letter to EU and AU to win international support, a trick that worked well and saw Chebukati quit the multi-agency team to avoid IEBC losing donor funding.
Ruto has also been advised to stop endorsing aspirants for elective seats but rather allow all UDA hopefuls to contest in a free, fair and credible nomination exercise. That is why he is now on all his rallies reiterating that UDA primaries will be free and fair. On coalitions, the DP made U-turn while addressing a delegation of grassroots leaders from Lugari and Likuyani constituencies at his Sugoi residence in Uasin Gishu.
In what was a change of heart from his earlier hardline position of pushing political leaders to fold their parties, and join UDA, the second in command hinted at approaching like-minded political outfits to team up with his party. To prove his determination of working with other parties, Ruto made a promise of keeping his word and making sure all the pre-election coalition pacts are strictly adhered to till the general election of 2027.
Ruto surprised his opponents when he publicly appealed to Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford-Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang’ula to join him at Hustler Nation. The new strategy, sources revealed, is meant to whittle down Raila’s influence in Western where he has already picked Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya to replace Mudavadi and Defence cabinet secretary Eugene Wamalwa to replace Wetang’ula as the Bukusu kingpin.
The team has advised Ruto to take advantage of Nasa death and rejection of Raila’s Azimio la Umoja by Mudavadi and Wetang’ula to make a footprint in Luhyaland. The two leaders skipped his Azimio la Umoja convention held at the Kasarani Stadium on December 10 and on December 31 again were no-show at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega for another Azimio rally though they had been invited. The new team has also advised Ruto to play it cool, and avoid being emotional and that is why he has remained calm even after Mudavadi and Wetang’ula dismissed his overtures.
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