Ruto will win second term if opposition confusion is not fixed – Jeremiah Kioni
Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni believes that confusion in the opposition will guarantee a second-term victory for President William Ruto.
Kioni argues that the opposition in Kenya lacks order or even a definite identity since political factions have moved camps since Ruto’s administration came into power.
The official opposition party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has been divided after its leader Raila Odinga started working closely with the presidency while the ruling party, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has suffered similar divisions after Rigathi Gachagua was ousted from the Deputy President’s office.
“You can clearly see some two vicious groups in ODM. There is ODM A and B. B has decided that we are supporting the current regime even come 2027 and A is completely at variance with that,” he told NTV on Monday.
“Again in UDA you have A which is stuck with government and B which is stuck with Gachagua. Now UDA B is trying to play opposition politics and they are in government.”
Kioni argues that if the conundrum is not ironed out President Ruto will not have a tough opposition to face and therefore enjoy an easy sail to power.
“If this confusion they have brought into the opposition continues, that is a way of giving another 5-year term to the sitting president,” he added.
The opposition maybe had a chance until this rabid tribalist took it over and frankly he is nauseating
politically at every level. If there are problems for Martha Koome at the Supreme Court it has nothing to do with her tribe. Gachagua the leader of tribalism in Kenya does not understand that. He is killing the opposition and he is the best gift for William Ruto to win in 2027.
Don’t dare step in Meru if you oust Martha Koome: Gachagua warns RutoFebruary 23, 2025
Ousted Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has furthered his bare-knuckle attack at President William Ruto warning him against purging Chief Justice Martha Koome.
Speaking in Meru on Sunday, Gachagua alleged that President Ruto is hatching a plot to oust CJ Koome for failing to play to his tune, a move he has vowed will not go unchecked.
In a fiery tone, the former second-in-command dared Ruto to orchestrate Koome’s removal, warning that he would never be welcome in Meru.
“She is being fought because she has refused to be a ‘yes sir’ person. If you chase our Martha Koome don’t set foot in Meru. You chased Rigathi Gachagua and the Mt. Kenya people were silent you thought they were cowards,” he said.
“We are telling you, if you dare plan to chase Martha Koome stay in Nairobi and do not step in Meru again.”
He urged his former boss, now turned foe, to instead take on fights with his ilk and leave the CJ alone
You fought with me because I am a man, leave Matha Koome alone she is a woman, why are you fighting women? Can you fight your fellow men?
Gachagua further blamed political leaders in Meru for being silent while the alleged purge was ongoing, accusing them of taking bribes from the top office to remain mum.
“Martha Koome is being chased out and the Senator is silent, all the 10 MPs are silent. What is happening to the people of Meru? These are the descendants of the Mau Mau. What has happened to the leadership of Meru?” he posed.
The embattled politician threatened if Koome is ousted, he will mobilise Meru residents to take the streets against the State, noting that the alleged onslaught from the State against the Mt. Kenya region is unbecoming.
“Huyu mama akifukuzwa, nipige firimbi mtoke kwa bararaba mtatoka, hamtatoka? We are not going to sit again as William Ruto destroys the leadership of Mt. Kenya. It’s too much it cannot be,” he noted.
“How do you take an entire community as fools? You have used us like tissue paper. We have elected you and you have turned against us. But God will not allow you to finish this community.”
Gachagua has fiercely taken on President Ruto and his administration since being impeached in October 2024, faulting leadership over poor governance.
This is the nightmare for an opposition in Kenya who do not know where to go.
‘Ruto never asked me to run’ Raila sets record straight on failed AUC bid
President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga shake hands during a meeting at State House, Mombasa.
“President Ruto never asked me to run. I announced myself that I was going to run for the AUC Chair position, and Ruto only came after my announcement to support my candidature. He supported my candidature not just by words but by deeds,” Raila said.
And there has been all this twitter talk about Raila Odinga being a looser in Kenya politics. In reality Raila Amolo Odinga is the most successful politician in Kenyan history. Raila got rid of the Moi dictatorship and it took him 20 years to do that and spent 9 years in jail for that.
The opposition could not make it to defeat Moi in 1992 which was the first multi party elections in Kenya and it was because of massive divisions within the opposition parties. In 1997 Raila with his National Democratic Party (NDP) worked with the Moi government. In 2002 Raila announced “Kibaki Tosha” and that was the end of Moi. So from 1982 t0 2002 Raila Odinga ended the Moi dictatorship and that is 20 years of great political work.
Raila recalls Kibaki road accident and 2002 election win
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga has recounted how he and retired president Mwai Kibaki forged a triumphant bond during the 2002 presidential campaigns.
Raila Odinga then fought against Kibaki and the likes of Martha Karua and Kiraitu Murungi with Kalonzo Musyoka, the watermelon to make sure that Kenyans got a new constitution in 2010. That is the katiba that all Kenyans sing about today. It would never have happened without Raila Odinga. So lets move on to 2027.
Right now there are small problems in ODM party. Sifuna wants to get the governor job in Nairobi and that is his ambition. Great for him. What Sifuna thinks is that he can get the Wamunyoro votes in Nairobi if he attacks Ruto. What Sifuna will find out later on is that Gachagua will field his own candidate for Nairobi governor. That is politics. It is a very dangerous business.
In the big picture even Gachagua and his Wamunyoro Clan Party know that Raila Odinga back fulltime in Kenya politics is a big issue for the country.
Gachagua: I am open to working with Raila ahead of 2027
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said he cannot rule out working with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga ahead of 2027 polls.
“I am open to working with anybody who means well for the country. I want to tell supporters of Raila from Nyanza not to fight the people from the Mt Kenya because we are not their enemies,” he said.
“We are not opposed to working with Raila. Already, we are working with Kalonzo Musyoka and Eugene Wamalwa and all like-minded people,” he maintained.
He said it was wrong to assume people from Mt Kenya are against Raila because a few people celebrated when he lost his bid for the African Union Commission chairperson seat.
“Some people are blaming the people of Mt Kenya for the loss just because a few women in Kirinyaga celebrated his loss,” he added.
Adongo Ogony is a Kenyan Human Rights Activist and a Writer who lives in Toronto, Canada
