Deputy President William Ruto has made a U-turn on his resistance to coalitions but maintained a hard line on political parties in Mt Kenya.
This even as his allies defended the change of heart, saying it’s informed by the need to craft a winning team.
Dr Ruto has constantly insisted anyone keen on working with him should join the United Democratic Alliance, a demand that has infuriated some of his erstwhile backers in Mt Kenya, including Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria and former Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri.
But the need to court opposition leaders Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula has apparently prompted him to soften the stance, at least with respect to their Amani National Congress (ANC) and Ford Kenya, in anticipation of a pre-election coalition agreement.
It has emerged the DP’s camp has realised that going it alone might not be entirely the best strategy at a time when their main opponents are embracing other parties and fronting changes to the law to facilitate registration of a coalition political party thought to be Azimio La Umoja.
Although Dr Ruto has stepped up attacks on small parties he has branded as tribal outfits formed as part of a scheme to help ODM leader Raila Odinga into power, he, on the other hand, is hard pressed to assure those supporting his presidential bid.
“There is no one I have told to fold up their parties so that they can work with me. But I have a reason to build a national party that is United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and what I cannot accept is that we build a political friendship then you tell me that in certain areas, UDA cannot field candidates,” DP Ruto told Citizen TV in a recent interview.
Countering rivals
But on the back of reports that UDA had formally invited ANC and Ford-K for coalition talks, the DP’s allies explained the change of strategy is informed by the need to counter their rivals.
“Time change, people change and scenarios change. We are looking for a sure bet of winning. After re-strategising and looking at Raila’s move of wooing other parties, we have decided to go for the same,” said Keiyo South MP Daniel Rono.
Double standards
However, keen to downplay criticism of double standards given UDA’s handling of Mt Kenya parties that initially allied themselves to the hustler nation, the DP’s camp says it has a justification for special treatment accorded ANC and Ford-K.
Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua told the Daily Nation the change of tune has been precipitated by the fact that the strength of both ANC and Ford-K is well-known, unlike that of Mr Kuria’s Chama Cha Kazi (CCK) and The Service Party (TSP) of Mr Kiunjuri.
“Anybody who wants to join Ruto, he is willing, but to enter a coalition, you need to enter into such an agreement with a party whose strength is known because that will define terms of engagement. If your strength is not known, what is the term of engagement?” Mr Gachagua posed.
“ANC’s strength is known in terms of MPs it has and that can form the basis of some negotiation. Ford Kenya’s, too, is known. Nobody has said we have a problem with Mount Kenya parties but what is the strength of Kiunjuri’s TSP? Not known.
“How will you enter into an agreement with such? What are the parameters of negotiations? What is Kuria’s CCK strength? If it was the People’s Empowerment Party (PEP), there would be some basis because there is an MP and MCA,” Mr Gachagua said, alluding to PEP’s twin wins in last year’s by-elections.
The apparent dismissal of the clout of Mt Kenya parties has not resonated with Mr Kuria, who signalled it was not automatic that his party would support DP Ruto’s presidential bid.
He told the Daily Nation his party is no longer bothered about what UDA is doing as his focus is to field candidates for all seats except the presidency.
“We cannot begrudge the DP for what he does with UDA. We are a focused party with candidates at all levels except the presidency. There is no constitutional requirement to field or support a presidential candidate and we will not be sidetracked by what other people are doing,” added the Gatundu South MP.
On whether his CCK will rally behind DP Ruto’s State House bid, Mr Kuria responded, “That’s not an agenda in our priority now. We are busy.”
And UDA issued an apparent warning that other parties should not expect it to engage them in power-sharing talks.
UDA chairman Johnson Muthama said working together does not necessarily mean depositing a coalition agreement with the Registrar of Political Parties.
“We are ready to talk to all Kenyans to come and join us, but the talks should not be based on coalition formation,” he said.
“Talking to other like-minded parties does not mean they come for a coalition. It might mean that they join a big movement if you feel that your movement does not make any impact. Secondly, the formation of a coalition is not about sharing positions but coming together to serve Kenyans,” he added.
UDA rivals are keen to capitalise on such hard line that is further alienating parties in Mt Kenya.
ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna said their camp will court all political parties in the region.
“All like-minded parties in Mt Kenya are welcome to work with us. We already have ongoing talks with Jubilee and PNU,” he said.
Mr Sifuna said Mount Kenya parties have a big say in the manner in which the region will vote in August, hence Mr Odinga’s team will not ignore them.
“Working with Mount Kenya parties will bolster our inroads in the region. They have their own strengths which we want to leverage,” he said.
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