President William Ruto’s men are working round the clock to have Uhuru Kenyatta on their side, in a new plot designed not only to create a wedge between Kenyatta and Mr. Odinga but also clip any political influence the former Head of State may wield against Ruto in 2027.
A source who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity says Uhuru Kenyatta is a potential political threat to Mr. Ruto’s 2027 prospects in Mt Kenya, given the former Head of State’s financial muscle and influence across the region, despite his dismal performance in the last election.
”Uhuru Kenyatta is a people person not just in Mt Kenya, but also in many parts of Kenya. He will just be 65 in 2027. President Ruto can’t take the chance, he wants him to be part of the Kenya Kwanza government,” he says.
By being a part of government, the source adds, Uhuru Kenyatta will have no moral authority to rally people against it, a strategy that successfully made Raila Odinga carry the Jubilee regime baggage in the last election.
President Ruto’s urgency to mend the broken relationship between him and Mr. Kenyatta is also informed by the fact that the former president has never recognised his win, and refuses to legitimize the regime by taking up the proposed government appointment as Kenya’s peace envoy in the Great Lakes region.
After the Supreme Court upheld William Ruto’s win, Uhuru Kenyatta told Kenyans on September 7th that he only recognized Raila Odinga as his leader but was going to peacefully hand over power.
”I will hand over power smiling because it is constitutional. Aluta continua but I will leave knowing Raila is my leader. Don’t think that you have denied Raila a chance to lead. You denied yourselves a chance to unite Kenya,” Uhuru said.