Baringo Senator Gideon Moi is quietly consolidating political support in his Rift Valley backyard before declaring his candidature in 2022 presidential poll, a key ally has revealed.
Tiaty MP William Kamket said Kanu was “talking” with other political parties in the Rift Valley to back Gideon in the race for State House.
Defending why Gideon was yet to publicly declare his interest to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022, Kamket said a lot was going on behind the scenes and that Deputy President William Ruto, who is also in the presidential race, would soon be relegated to “a political dustbin.”
The Kanu MP was speaking yesterday night in KTN News' Point Blank.
Election mood
Kamket told his host Tony Gachoka that the country had just come out of an electioneering period and that Gideon had not declared his interest in the presidency out of respect for Kenyans and the President.
He said Kanu was employing a strategy of “respect and restraint” and dismissed claims that the party was scared of declaring its presidential candidate early.
“We are ready. We have only said that we’ve just come from elections and we have the Big Four agenda that President Kenyatta holds dear. It takes a lot of respect for Kenyans. Everything depends on time,” said Kamket.
He argued that Ruto, who has hit the campaign trail for 2022, would fast run out of steam.
“Where has Ruto reached in his marathon running left and right? Too much effort and no work done. Who is crying wolf now?” said the Kanu MP.
Kamket said the fact that Gideon would be a presidential candidate in 2022 was one of the country's “worst kept secrets.”
He said Kanu would play a big role in 2022 elections and that the party was already engaging a number of political parties, including former Bomet Governor's Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM).
“We, as Kanu, and other political parties in the Rift Valley, including CCM, are talking. Our networks are all over the country. In the fullness of time, when (DP) Ruto will be in the political dustbin, political history students will be taught lessons on how not to run for president,” said Kamket.
He said Gideon's popularity was on the rise countrywide.
"Why is everyone talking about him (Gideon) if he’s not running? It’s just a matter of time,” he said.
Kamket denied that Ruto was the kingpin in Rift Valley politics.
Ruto's open interest in 2022 presidential poll, amplified by the Tangatanga team of MPs rooting for him to succeed Uhuru has caused a major rift in Jubilee Party.
The Tangatanga camp brings together Ruto's allies who are campaigning for his bid for the top office.
A rival group, Kieleweke, is opposed to the premature campaigns and largely brings together Jubilee politicians who are fighting to block Ruto’s presidential run.
Lately, MPs allied to Opposition leader Raila Odinga, whose post-election truce with the President has caused political realignments, have joined Kieleweke in countrywide meetings.
According to Kamket, should Ruto resign due to a perceived fallout with Uhuru or if investigations prove that his office authored a letter alleging a plot to assassinate him, Gideon would be "a natural replacement."
“The covenant between him and President Uhuru Kenyatta was written in blood. It is a covenant between communities, not between two individuals. There is a ready-made replacement in Gideon Moi,” said Kamket.
He said Kanu had stayed out of 2022 politics out of respect for Uhuru. “We are being respectful to the President, otherwise we would have shown what we are made of,” he said.
Kamket accused the Deputy President of defying Uhuru's directive against early 2022 campaigns, saying it was disrespectful.
“What is going on is premature politics initiated by an impatient politician who is going rabid about his political ambitions," he said.
“This is a gentleman who has very little respect for his boss. The kind of politics he is playing is not good for the country,” he said.
New formations
Kanu was one of the parties that backed Jubilee Party. But Kamket now says new formations are being made behind the scenes to plan for Ruto's exit from the political stage. “We are using a strategy of restraint (and) respect,” he said.
On Ruto's claim that four Cabinet Secretaries met at a hotel to plot his assassination, Kamket argued that if investigators established that the claims emanated from the DP’s office, he should be held both “legally and politically liable.” “The card he has played is a very dangerous one,” Kamket said.
The MP said should the need to impeach Ruto arise, he would file the Motion himself. “I know I’ll not be the only one,” he said.
