How Governor Laboso's death may change South Rift politics

Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso’s death has united politicians in grief, but she leaves a gaping political hole in Deputy President William Ruto’s South Rift turf.

Dr Laboso, who died on Monday at the Nairobi Hospital after years long battle with cancer, was a key political ally of Ruto and instrumental in clipping the wings of former governor Isaac Ruto, the Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) party leader.

In the run-up to the last General Election, the DP propped up Laboso to challenge Ruto for the governor’s seat and made a major political statement to politicians in the region, especially his former political ally turned foe.

At the time, the two Rutos were engaged in a supremacy battle to control the South Rift voting bloc. The outcome of the race left the inaugural Council of Governors chairman badly bruised.

Laboso won by 175,000 votes against Ruto’s 86,000 – forcing the former governor back to the drawing board, even supporting President Uhuru Kenyatta in the repeat presidential elections.

“The DP’s plan was to silence Ruto who was increasingly becoming popular in the region. The DP was seeking to stamp his authority as the Rift Valley political kingpin and he wanted loyal lieutenants like Laboso by his side,” says Jonathan Rono, an ally of Ruto and an official of CCM.

Laboso’s death, according to Kenyatta University lecturer and political pundit Gilbert Soi, means it is time the DP goes back to the drawing board following Laboso’s exit from the political scene.

“Laboso was unmatched and she was able to keep the CCM party leader at bay,” Mr Soi says.

He sees CCM and independence party Kanu as real threats to Ruto’s political hold in the region, and with the exit of Laboso, failing to plan may give to two outfits room to flourish.

Philip Chebunet, a political analyst and Chair of Department Communication Studies at the University of Eldoret, says Ruto has lost a key strategist in South Rift.

Loose ground

Dr Chebunet said after the appointment of former Kericho Senator Charles Keter to the Cabinet, Laboso took over the role of consolidating Ruto’s support in the South Rift.

Political commentator Bii Samoe says attention may shift to Ruto, the CCM leader. “Before Laboso’s death, the CCM party leader was to be appointed to government. This decision was highly motivated by complaints of ‘loose ground’ in the Jubilee administration,” Samoe says.

In October last year, key Rift Valley leaders visited the ex-governor at his rural home in Bomet. “If Isaac Ruto does not join the deputy President, he has ability to split the Rift Valley region ahead of 2022,” Samoe says.

Another headache for the DP is the anticipated move by Baringo Senator Gideon Moi to join the presidential race in 2022. The Kanu national chairman has activated his father’s political connection across the country and has even reached out to emerging political kingpins like Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho. The South Rift will be a key political battle ground for the presidential bid as it is home to the populous Kipsigis sub-tribe of the Kalenjin community.