Eldoret North MP William Ruto has raised political eyebrows by holding talks with Sabatia MP Musalia Mudavadi shortly after meeting Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Interestingly, the United Republican Party presidential aspirant was last week at the centre of another meeting bringing together two other aspirants for the top seat — Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Mr Uhuru Kenyatta of The National Alliance.
When asked about the meeting with Raila, whom he ditched together with the Orange Democratic Movement two years ago, Ruto retorted: “I am serious I want to be the President of Kenya and, therefore, I cannot be restricted on who to meet. I can meet whomever I want.”
However, questions are being asked if Ruto is seeking a new alliance, possibly with Raila or Mudavadi, or simply trying out his luck to have them support him.
Information on the meeting with Raila, though guarded and limited by the two parties, however, suggests that it was brokered by a businessman with strong links to the former Kanu regime.
Ruto met Raila, whom he has several times accused of being selfish, cunning and vengeful, on Tuesday night.
On Thursday, he was with Mudavadi twice in the day. They first met at Mudavadi’s residence in the morning, but broke off the meeting so Mudavadi could attend a Cabinet meeting.
The later met for an hour at Ruto’s presidential campaign office along Ngong Road, Nairobi.
“As the PM reiterated, we will always be in discussion with other parties to converge on ideologies,” said Kibisu Kabatesi the DPM’s spokesman.
“Discussions between UDF and URP have been ongoing, but today, they found it necessary to meet and that more consultations with other parties will continue,” Kabatesi told The Standard on telephone.
Unlike the meeting with Raila, which the PM is said to have sought, it was not clear if it was Ruto who looked out for Mudavadi or the other way round.
Though the full extent of his talks with Raila may not be out yet, as Raila was alone while Ruto was accompanied by two other URP leaders, what sources reveal is that the ‘menu’ was politics and next year’s election. Some of Ruto’s allies, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of backlash within the party because the matter is considered sensitive at this stage, said both parties agreed to keep it under wraps.
When contacted Ruto did not confirm or deny the secret meeting with PM, but instead insisted on his freedom to meet whomever he wants. He explained it was against this background that he had recently met with Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta at the Norfolk Hotel.
The URP presidential hopeful pointed that he was in the ‘middle’ of Raila and Uhuru. “Uhuru is my friend and I have campaigned for him and supported him before. On the other hand Tinga is not my friend but I have campaigned for him and even voted for him,” he said.
Ruto reportedly appealed to both leaders to support him, describing himself as the bridge between the two.
He claimed both believe in him should, therefore, abandon their presidential ambitions and back him in order to avoid unnecessary friction in the country. “If you ask Uhuru who he can vote for between me and Tinga (Raila) he will tell you Ruto and if you ask Tinga between Ruto and Uhuru that he can vote for, he will tell you Ruto. So why can’t they all support me and we finish this matter quickly to avoid unnecessary tension?” he added.
Ruto said during the various meetings he has held with Uhuru and Raila, he has began urging them to support him since they were all in agreement they can’t vote for each other but they can all vote for him. “I am now beginning to tell them to support me since they are in agreement that I am the only person who can bridge the gap between the two,” he added.
Belgut MP Charles Keter who is close to Ruto said there should be no cause for alarm over the meetings. “It is not something that bothers me because there is nothing serious we have so far agreed,” added Keter, a hint that there was an agreement being sought.
However, close allies of Raila either feigned ignorance or had not been briefed. Government Chief Whip Jakoyo Midiwo who is a close confidant of Raila said he had been busy throughout the day and had not been in contact with the PM.
The talking point on the meetings would probably be on latest Ipsos Synovate poll that predicted Raila would trounce Uhuru in the first round, but if the two were to go for a second round, Kenyatta would defeat the PM.
Musalia was driven into Ruto’s offices at 4.10pm, shortly after the URP leader had received ODM and The National Alliance defectors from Kisumu, Samburu and Narok.
The DPM’s entry came shortly after journalists who were covering the defections left the venue. Mudavadi left in a convoy of four vehicles. The former deputies of Raila in ODM did not speak to journalists who had camped outside the buildings after being tipped off of the meeting.
Mudavadi was the first to leave followed a short while later by Ruto. Both had the windows of their vehicles rolled up to avoid pictures being taken. “They shared a cup of tea and snacks as they engaged in private talks away from their aides,” revealed a source.
The meeting between Ruto and Raila could also be interpreted as a move to raise his stakes within the amorphous G7 Alliance that includes Kalonzo and Uhuru.
Last month Ruto snubbed a meeting called by Uhuru after the TNA leader was endorsed the previous day by a group of Central Kenya MPs as their presidential candidate.
Instead Ruto organised a meeting for officials from his party where he dismissed the meeting by Uhuru, with insiders saying he was unhappy with the TNA leader for portraying himself as the senior-most leader in the alliance.
Interestingly, the United Republican Party presidential aspirant was last week at the centre of another meeting bringing together two other aspirants for the top seat — Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Mr Uhuru Kenyatta of The National Alliance.
When asked about the meeting with Raila, whom he ditched together with the Orange Democratic Movement two years ago, Ruto retorted: “I am serious I want to be the President of Kenya and, therefore, I cannot be restricted on who to meet. I can meet whomever I want.”
However, questions are being asked if Ruto is seeking a new alliance, possibly with Raila or Mudavadi, or simply trying out his luck to have them support him.
Information on the meeting with Raila, though guarded and limited by the two parties, however, suggests that it was brokered by a businessman with strong links to the former Kanu regime.
Ruto met Raila, whom he has several times accused of being selfish, cunning and vengeful, on Tuesday night.
On Thursday, he was with Mudavadi twice in the day. They first met at Mudavadi’s residence in the morning, but broke off the meeting so Mudavadi could attend a Cabinet meeting.
The later met for an hour at Ruto’s presidential campaign office along Ngong Road, Nairobi.
“As the PM reiterated, we will always be in discussion with other parties to converge on ideologies,” said Kibisu Kabatesi the DPM’s spokesman.
“Discussions between UDF and URP have been ongoing, but today, they found it necessary to meet and that more consultations with other parties will continue,” Kabatesi told The Standard on telephone.
Unlike the meeting with Raila, which the PM is said to have sought, it was not clear if it was Ruto who looked out for Mudavadi or the other way round.
Though the full extent of his talks with Raila may not be out yet, as Raila was alone while Ruto was accompanied by two other URP leaders, what sources reveal is that the ‘menu’ was politics and next year’s election. Some of Ruto’s allies, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of backlash within the party because the matter is considered sensitive at this stage, said both parties agreed to keep it under wraps.
When contacted Ruto did not confirm or deny the secret meeting with PM, but instead insisted on his freedom to meet whomever he wants. He explained it was against this background that he had recently met with Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta at the Norfolk Hotel.
The URP presidential hopeful pointed that he was in the ‘middle’ of Raila and Uhuru. “Uhuru is my friend and I have campaigned for him and supported him before. On the other hand Tinga is not my friend but I have campaigned for him and even voted for him,” he said.
Ruto reportedly appealed to both leaders to support him, describing himself as the bridge between the two.
He claimed both believe in him should, therefore, abandon their presidential ambitions and back him in order to avoid unnecessary friction in the country. “If you ask Uhuru who he can vote for between me and Tinga (Raila) he will tell you Ruto and if you ask Tinga between Ruto and Uhuru that he can vote for, he will tell you Ruto. So why can’t they all support me and we finish this matter quickly to avoid unnecessary tension?” he added.
Ruto said during the various meetings he has held with Uhuru and Raila, he has began urging them to support him since they were all in agreement they can’t vote for each other but they can all vote for him. “I am now beginning to tell them to support me since they are in agreement that I am the only person who can bridge the gap between the two,” he added.
Belgut MP Charles Keter who is close to Ruto said there should be no cause for alarm over the meetings. “It is not something that bothers me because there is nothing serious we have so far agreed,” added Keter, a hint that there was an agreement being sought.
However, close allies of Raila either feigned ignorance or had not been briefed. Government Chief Whip Jakoyo Midiwo who is a close confidant of Raila said he had been busy throughout the day and had not been in contact with the PM.
The talking point on the meetings would probably be on latest Ipsos Synovate poll that predicted Raila would trounce Uhuru in the first round, but if the two were to go for a second round, Kenyatta would defeat the PM.
Musalia was driven into Ruto’s offices at 4.10pm, shortly after the URP leader had received ODM and The National Alliance defectors from Kisumu, Samburu and Narok.
The DPM’s entry came shortly after journalists who were covering the defections left the venue. Mudavadi left in a convoy of four vehicles. The former deputies of Raila in ODM did not speak to journalists who had camped outside the buildings after being tipped off of the meeting.
Mudavadi was the first to leave followed a short while later by Ruto. Both had the windows of their vehicles rolled up to avoid pictures being taken. “They shared a cup of tea and snacks as they engaged in private talks away from their aides,” revealed a source.
The meeting between Ruto and Raila could also be interpreted as a move to raise his stakes within the amorphous G7 Alliance that includes Kalonzo and Uhuru.
Last month Ruto snubbed a meeting called by Uhuru after the TNA leader was endorsed the previous day by a group of Central Kenya MPs as their presidential candidate.
Instead Ruto organised a meeting for officials from his party where he dismissed the meeting by Uhuru, with insiders saying he was unhappy with the TNA leader for portraying himself as the senior-most leader in the alliance.
By Martin Mutua
SOURCE: Standard Digital
