President William Ruto has a word with retired president Uhuru Kenyatta during the Consecration and Installation of Bishop Peter Kimani Ndung'u as the Catholic Bishop of Embu Diocese in Embu County on November 16, 2024.
As 2027 General Elections formations start to take shape, key combatants led by President William Ruto, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Wiper Party Kalonzo Musyoka are working to win former President Uhuru Kenyatta's support.
The Orange Democratic Movement of Mr Raila Odinga, whom the outgoing president backed in the 2022 elections, is also looking to retain his support ahead of the 2027 polls.
Though close Kenyatta family members insist that the former president is disinterested in the political developments especially those to do with 2027 polls, key politicians remain hopeful of bagging his endorsement.
Mr Kenyatta himself has been sending mixed signals about 2027, sometimes giving President Ruto's administration hard tackles.
Last year, Mr Kenyatta warned the Kenya Kwanza Alliance administration that "if you deal with me like a leader, I will deal with you as leaders but if you deal with me as rogues, I will equally treat you as rogues."
He kept his cool only to emerge on June 25, 2024 during Gen Z protests that culminates in a raid of Parliament.
In his press statement, Mr Kenyatta called for dialogue and restraint, saying the country's wellbeing was more important than personal ambitions.
The protests as well as Mr Kenyatta's comments were to be manifest in the events that followed including the dropping of the Finance Bill 2024 and the sacking of the Cabinet by President Ruto.
Mr Kenyatta's cousin, Kung'u Muigai told Nation.Africa that hoping to loop in the former president in the ongoing political realignments is an exercise in futility.
"I can assure you the former president is not interested in politics. I know his brother is crafting something although I'm not sure what it is. People should stop dragging this man into their fantasies," Mr Muigai said.
As he turned 63 on October 26, Mr Kenyatta emerged again urging Kenyans to persevere but at the same time maintain peace and remain united.
Speaking to Kameme FM on phone, Mr Kenyatta resorted to hearty laughter every time the radio host narrated the hardships Kenyans are enduring.
"Persevere... remain united and keep the peace. That is the only way to hold together as a country," he said.
Appearing to respond to political rumours of animosity between him and some politicians in the formations at play, Mr Kenyatta insisted that he holds no grudge whatsoever with anyone.
"I have absolutely no grudge with anyone. I have never had any with anyone. They only bring their grudges my way. I am at peace with everyone," he said.
According to political analyst Prof Peter Kagwanja, the thinking behind the scramble for Kenyatta's endorsement is all about Mt Kenya voting block.
President William Ruto greets retired president Uhuru Kenyatta during the Consecration and Installation of Bishop Peter Kimani Ndung'u as the Catholic Bishop of Embu Diocese in Embu County on November 16, 2024.
"There exists a thinking that nearly all Mt Kenya voters now are unanimously united in believing Kenyatta had a reasonable justification in opposing his then deputy now president, to succeed him," he said.
Prof Kagwanja said the 2027 combatants now believe Mt Kenya can easily believe Mr Kenyatta should he throw in a word about who best fits the bill.
"It goes without saying that Mr Kenyatta's word stands vindicated... it also stands firmly that should he declare support for any for 2027 it would amount to something major. That is the major advantage those invoking his name seek to cash in on," Prof Kagwanja said.
Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi told Nation.Africa that the presence of Mr Kenyatta in the political arena reignites hope that he might influence certain things around the people of Mt Kenya.
"His word will simply ripples. I hope he will be bold enough and while on Kenyan soil declare the way forward," Mr Linturi said.
According to Murang'a Woman Rep Betty Maina, the president's handlers are hot on the heels of Mr Kenyatta.
"The things I know about this government are many. I can confirm to you that the President and Mr Kenyatta are talking behind the scenes," she told Kogi's Corner TV, an online platform, on November 7.
"Just wait and see for confirmation that mine is not idle talk... soon you will see key Kenyatta allies being appointed into government," Ms Maina added.
"In the next six months, the President's men and some key allies of his predecessor will be reading from the same script as they plan for the next move together," she said.
Ms Maina said Mr Kenyatta is yet to forgive some politicians who orchestrated attacks against his family and business interests.
"Who was heard insulting the former president? Who sanctioned the raid on the Kenyatta family's Northlands Estate, where sheep and trees were stolen and cut down? Did that person apologise properly to the Kenyatta family?" Ms Maina posed.
Meanwhile, as Mr Gachagua seeks to salvage his political fortunes that have been dealt a blow by the impeachment, he is also scheming to get Mr Kenyatta's support.
His loyalists report that he is banking on two possible scenarios - win at the courts, where he is challenging his impeachment, or, if push comes to shove, play the kingmaker.
"If the courts continue with their rigged interpretation of law to suit the whims of our tormentors hence locking out Mr Gachagua, he will instead herd us into where he will ascertain by consultations to be ideal for us. Where Gachagua points, is where we will all line up," said Baragwi MCA David Mathenge.
"We are working with all in Mt Kenya and we do not expect Mr Kenyatta to be left behind... he is expected to walk with us," Mr Mathenge said.
Mr Gachagua has in the recent past been trying to mend fences with the Kenyatta family after an acrimonious fallout in the run up to the 2022 General Elections.
While Mr Gachagua supported Dr Ruto for the presidency, Mr Kenyatta was selling Mr Odinga's candidature, in high octane politics that occasionally saw good manners being thrown out of the window.
But Mr Gachagua has since apologised to the Kenyattas while also declaring that they have already forgiven each other.
"Kenyatta and I are brothers and friends and there are programmes we are executing together for the future benefit of our people," Mr Gachagua is on record for saying.
But some pundits hold the view that Mr Gachagua has nothing to apologise for, rather he has only been seeking political expediency in an effort to win Kenyatta's favour ahead 2027.
President William Ruto and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta chat during the consecration and installation of Bishop Peter Kimani Ndung'u in Embu County on November 17, 2024.
According to Kikuyu Council of Elders Chairman Mr Wachira Kiago, it was necessary for Gachagua to own up for mistakes that were largely not his in demeaning the Kenyattas.
“If you study the 2022 political clips, you will not capture Gachagua anywhere insulting Mama Ngina, who is considered both a national and Mt Kenya region matriarch,” Mr Kiago said.
Mr Kiago said Mr Gachagua is only captured in normal banters aimed at Mr Kenyatta, all of which were in a political competition context.
Instead, he added, those well captured on record demeaning Mama Ngina are key allies of President Ruto.
Emurua Dikirr MP, Johana Ng’eno, and his Kapseret counterpart, Mr Oscar Sudi, are among those who were arrested and charged in court in 2022 for utterances that were connoted by investigators to have been injurious to Mama Ngina.
"Since there was no way we could have prevailed upon the president and his allies to make public apology to the Kenyatta family, we prevailed upon Gachagua to do so on behalf of his boss," Mr Kiago said.
"We are now back to the drawing board as a community and as a country... we have a journey to strategise for, walk and seek best results... it is a journey that requires all, including Mr Kenyatta's wisdom, experience and goodwill," Mr Kiago added.
On the other hand, Jubilee Party Secretary General Mr Jeremiah Kioni told Nation.Africa that Mr Kenyatta's word is that he is on the side of the people.
“As we have come to be unanimous in this country, President Ruto is on one side and the people are on the other side,” Mr Kioni said.
Mr Kenyatta is the Jubilee Party leader and has spiritedly fought off sustained efforts by nominated MP Sabina Chege to overthrow him.
“So far we are in agreement as a party that our 2027 presidential candidate representing the people is Mr Musyoka," Mr Kioni further said.
“All those for the people have not changed opinion that it was a mistake to support Ruto in 2022 and will be a tragedy supporting him in 2027," he added.
Mr Odinga, who of late has also been playing double agent – supporting Ruto administration and sometimes throwing barbs at it – has also not been left behind in courting Mr Kenyatta.
On August 13, 2024, Mr Odinga invoked Mr Kenyatta’s name as among the counsel that advised him to cooperate with President Ruto by forming a broad-based Cabinet.
Mr Odinga said he donated expertise and tact after Mr Kenyatta requested him to rescue President Ruto's sinking ship and move the country forward.
“When the country was in turmoil, my brother Kenyatta called me and asked me to reach out to President Ruto to find a solution to the Gen Zs’ concerns. We discussed the situation, and I shared my thoughts on how to address it,” Mr Odinga said.
However, Jubilee Party Kirinyaga County Chairman Muriithi Kang'ara on Friday told Nation.Africa that Mr Kenyatta was taken aback by Mr Odinga’s declaration since it was not true.
“That statement was only meant to win Mr Odinga some credibility for joining Ruto’s government," Kang'ara said.
