DP Ruto faces rising rivalry in the Rift Valley

ELDORET: When Deputy President (DP) William Ruto addressed mourners at a funeral in Uasin Gishu County last weekend, he was visibly angry and emotional.

And this character has lately defined the DP in his public and political addresses in the Rift Valley where he is facing growing political rivalry from Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto and Kanu Chairman Gideon Moi.

Pundits have noted that his latest trend of making wild utterances might have a heavy weight on his political ambition of clinching the presidency in 2022.

"His emotional reaction in public has gone beyond his stature and mentioning names is likely to have a negative impact on his political career,” says Philip Chebunet, head of Communications Department at the University of Eldoret.

He adds: “The current woes in the Rift Valley are slowly making Ruto change, and he is increasingly becoming antagonistic in his public utterances.”

On Tuesday, Kanu leaders from the region demanded that the DP apologises over claims that Bomet governor, Gideon and President Uhuru Kenyatta’s political advisor Joshua Kuttuny, were praying for his conviction at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

During the burial, the DP said: “I am telling them that it is not good to wish your brother ill and they should check the depth of the hole they are digging for me because they might be the political casualties.”

What has caused even more fury was the Deputy President’s pronouncement during a burial that Kanu was a ‘corpse’.

Bomet Governor said the DP's assertion was far-fetched because the same leaders he is accusing have been steadfast in supporting him on the ICC case.

“I have been with William in the case at the ICC, my record is clear even in Parliament. I still don’t believe that he has a case to answer, I know he is innocent,” said Ruto, who is also chairman of the Council of Governors.

He added: "How can he purport to know what one is praying, how can he be privy to our prayers, how can he know what I pray. It is my communication with God. He should not sink that low as to introduce issues of prayers into straight forward matters."

Kanu stalwarts led by the Secretary General Nick Salat, West Pokot Senator John Lonyangapuo, his nominated colleague Zipporah Kittony and regional officials said the DP must take responsibility for his public utterances against their chairman and the party and he must apologise.

But of interest to the DP is his political grip on the populous Rift Valley region. It is his political backbone. However, this grip is under threat from a vicious campaign spearheaded by former ruling party Kanu.

At stake for the DP is the fragmenting of the more than 3 million vote-rich bloc. Kanu seems to be gaining traction in Bomet, Baringo and West Pokot counties. In February, 300 URP supporters in Trans Nzoia decamped to Kanu.

The south Rift region, largely occupied by the Kipsigis, a Kalenjin sub-clan, has most votes in the Rift Valley. Governor Ruto comes from this sub-clan which essentially forms the battlefield between the two Rutos. South Rift has approximately 60 per cent of the 3 million votes that form the DP's political bedrock.

What seems to have complicated matters further for the Deputy President was the breakfast meeting at Mara Hotel where the Bomet governor and Gideon were joined by Narok Senator Stephen ole Ntutu signaling a wider political scheme that could also bring on board the Maa vote.

On Thursday, Myoot Kipsigis Council of Elders blamed the escalating political feud between the two Ruto's on the leaders’ failure to heed wise counsel.

But Emanuel Talam, the deputy communications director at the DP’s office, said there was nothing unique in the DP’s latest response to Isaac and Gideon, saying: “The DP has always responded and there is nothing new in that. Even during the time of Pesa Mashinani, he responded. He responds and will still respond to them."