Throughout President William Ruto's administration, a succession of high-ranking fellows has emerged, more focused on projecting themselves as ethnic kingpins than national leaders.
A prime example, of course, was Dr Ruto's first Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua , whose penchant for a narrow, bigoted agenda focused primarily on the interests of his Mt Kenya community. Mr Gachagua--who was unable to decide whether he was Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya or Deputy President of the 'Murima' region--was eventually drummed out of the Ruto feeding trough after a short and brutish impeachment drive.
DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua addresses the media at the party’s offices in Nairobi on August 11, 2026.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
He has since parlayed his ejection into a potent opposition force, but still built around a bedrock of Mt Kenya political aspirations and grievances, rather than any pretense of a more edifying national agenda.
Around the same time that Mr Gachagua was exhibiting his bullying ways in the corridors of power, there was another fellow who also did not make a distinction between his role in the national executive and ethnic brokerage. Mr Eliud Owalo was the Cabinet Secretary for Information and Communications Technology, but devoted nearly all his time, energy and resources to the politics of Luo Nyanza. He had apparently been detailed to set himself up as the government point-man in an opposition region that was under the sway of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga .
Mr Owalo played his role with unbridled zeal, but his functions as Cabinet Secretary for Luo Nyanza became redundant after President Ruto started engaging Mr Odinga directly following the GenZ revolt of 2024. He was one of the casualties of the cabinet clear-out in the wake of the biggest challenge to hit the Kenya Kwanza administration. After a short time, he was consoled with a recall to some nebulous assignment, but quit the job early this year after declaring that he would be running for president. He since seems to have disappeared without a trace.
Ruto's re-election campaign
However, there is now the Principal Secretary for Interior, Raymond Omollo, trying to step into the Nyanza leadership void.
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo speaks to farmers in Ndhiwa at Grace Resort in Kabuoch, Homa Bay County on October 24, 2026.
Photo credit: George Odiwuor | Nation Media Group
In his role as PS for Luo Nyanza, Dr Omollo has waded right into the battle for Raila Odinga's legacy and the quest to shepherd the region and the ODM party into President Ruto's re-election campaign.
The battle had largely been fought between the incumbent leadership and the breakaway Linda Mwananchi grouping fronted by the ousted Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna.
That particular fight would be presumed to have ended with Mr Sifuna, the most exciting young politician to have emerged in Kenya for a generation, having walked his allies out of ODM to transform Linda Mwananchi into a full-fledged political party.
With that development, it could have been presumed that the ODM high command under party leader Oburu Oginga and chair Gladys Wanga would comfortably proceed with the contentious decision to back President Ruto's re-election bid.
However, all is still not well. Many party officials, elected leaders and aspirants, and the masses whom Raila held a messianic grip on, are hedging their bets as the spectre of a mass exodus looms.
A potent political movement has been left leaderless and rudderless, with those left to steer the ship apparently having no strategy other than to hang on to President Ruto's coattails and sell the mirage of endless goodies to come courtesy of proximity to State House.
As if the challenge posed by Mr Sifuna's forays into the departed party leader's traditional bastions is not enough, there is also a growing threat of internal implosion around the terms of engagement with President Ruto and his UDA party.
Key party leaders are asking for a formal signed deal, the key demand being the running mate slot come the elections next year and a guaranteed share of cabinet and senior public service posts.
However, there are voices increasingly speaking out against pressure on the president, insisting that support for his re-election should come without any preconditions.
It is apparent that the public face of this campaign is not a known party official, but Dr Omollo, whose exact motives remain unclear. The capacity in which he speaks is also not clear, but it might be safe to presume that the move is intended to help President Ruto reach the Nyanza voters directly, by-passing an ODM leadership that has shown it cannot deliver. Reality is that he would simply be exchanging one broker for another.
The bigger issue, however, is the role played by self-appointed electoral intermediaries and political outfits that reduce themselves to ethnic bargaining chips rather than governments in waiting.
Mr Gaitho, an independent journalist, is former NMG Managing Editor for Special Projects. [email protected]
