With just four months to party primaries, Deputy President William Ruto is facing a headache of keeping his troops together amid claims of favouritism of certain aspirants in the forthcoming UDA nominations.
This was cited by Kirinyaga Woman Representative Purity Ngirici as a key reason for abandoning Dr Ruto’s ‘Hustler Nation’ after her political rival, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, joined the camp. The sudden departure triggered reaction from the Deputy President’s attempt to stem any further fallout, especially in perceived UDA strongholds of Central Kenya and Rift Valley regions.
Besides the fears of favouritism are the growing cases of cheers and jeers at the DP’s rallies which has angered some aspirants, including incumbents like Nandi Governor Stephen Sang and Turkana Senator Malachy Ekal.
Jolted by the decamping of Ms Ngirici over claims of favouristism, Deputy President William Ruto moved to assure aspirants that the UDA nominations will be free and fair.
Ms Ngirici’s ditching of UDA over favouritism is the latest to expose the nightmare in the Tangatanga camp, especially in areas where several aspirants are all going for the party’s ticket for the same seat.
Ms Ngirici, who is embroiled in a throat-cut competition with Governor Waiguru for the county’s top seat, alleged that party officials had requested her to step down in favour of the incumbent and go for the Mwea parliamentary seat.
She alleged that she was summoned to the UDA headquarters in Nairobi and told to step down for Waiguru, but the party has since denied this assertion.
"When I appeared at the headquarters, the officials tried to convince me to give up my gubernatorial ambitions and vie for the Mwea parliamentary seat on a UDA ticket. I refused, as they were determined to kill my dream," she said.
"If UDA officials are telling me to vie for a junior seat, do you expect nominations to be free and fair?" she asked.
There have been jitters in UDA after Dr Ruto appeared to endorse some of his close allies, a perception the DP sought to erase during recent interviews, including on Citizen TV, when he ruled out issue of direct UDA tickets.
“On the matter of nominations, I will take personal responsibility because I have the experience, knowledge and understanding because I have run nominations for the last 25 years to make sure that it will be free and fair,” he said.
“In any case, the nomination will either build or destroy the party and my intention, together with many friends across the country I work with, is to build a solid national political party not for us, for today and posterity,” the DP added.
Free and fair nominations
UDA Secretary-General Veronica Maina yesterday told the Sunday Nation: “The UDA Party is committed to conduct free and fair nominations to all those candidates who are qualified for various positions.”
Despite the assurances from Dr Ruto that party primaries will be free, a number of UDA contenders have kept on expressing fears that there are individuals who could be favoured due to their closeness with the DP.
In Kwale County, gubernatorial hopeful Lung'anzi Mangale in October resolved to quit UDA and focus on rebranding himself ahead of the polls. Mr Mangale has reportedly been unhappy with the apparent endorsement of Kwale Deputy Governor Fatuma Achani to succeed Governor Salim Mvurya.
During his visit to Mwatate and Voi in Taita Taveta late last year, the DP seemed to favour former governor John Mrutu, a move that angered Dan Mwazo and Stephen Mwekesi, who have also threatened to ditch the party. The two are also eyeing the seat on a UDA ticket.
In Kilifi County, Dr Ruto appears to be fronting Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa for the governor's seat. In Mombasa, Dr Ruto is considered close to former Senator Hassan Omar, who is seeking to succeed Governor Hassan Joho. He also campaigned for Jomvu parliamentary hopeful Karisa Nzai and his Mvita counterpart Omar Shallo. The differences in Mombasa recently turned violent during Dr Ruto’s visit.
Even before the exit of Kirinyaga MP, there have been jitters in the UDA after the DP also appeared to endorse Senator Irungu Kang'ata for Murang'a governor, Susan Kihika for Nakuru governor and Mr Edward Muriu for the Gatanga parliamentary seat.
The UDA aspirants are piling pressure on the DP and the party to assure them that they will not be short-changed in the primaries.
Mr Antipas Tirop, a governor aspirant in Nandi who will be fighting for the party ticket with Governor Sang, who is seen to be very close with Dr Ruto, said the success or failure of UDA would depend on the primaries. "Let the party leadership know that we are moving from one house to another to register UDA members. Many of us are banking on that for we do not want to witness what happens in other political parties during nominations," Mr Tirop said recently.
In the Uasin Gishu senatorial race, there are jitters with the manner in which some key DP’s lieutenants led by Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi seemed to be leaning towards city lawyer Kipchumba Karori at the expense of outgoing Governor Jackson Mandago.
According to Meru Senator Mithika Linturi, only those who do not believe in democracy are fearing that there are individuals who will be favoured.
“Those are people who do not believe in democracy. If they believe in the ideals of UDA, they must be ready for the nominations because UDA is not for the elected leaders. It is a party for everyone. Those fears are from the past and bad manners from Jubilee nominations in certain areas,” Senator Linturi said.
Similarly, the Deputy President has been leaving a trail of cheers and jeers in his intensified presidential campaigns as aspirants eyeing UDA going for each other at his rallies.
The DP’s rallies across the country have been characterised by drama including heckling and cheering as aspirants jostle for his and the public’s attention.
On his part, Dr Ruto has often taken on the role of the master of ceremony at the rallies, including choosing who to speak while leaving others out, yet another sticky point for some aspirants.
A recent incident happened during the Tobong'u Lore festival which the DP attended in Turkana. During the speeches, area senator Ekal, who has declared interest in succeeding Governor Josphat Nanok, was booed by locals in Lodwar in front of Dr Ruto while Turkana South MP James Lomenen was cheered. This angered Senator Ekal to the extent of telling the DP to sort out thorny issues in UDA or risk losing many supporters.
“There is a big problem with UDA in Turkana. There is UDA for those working in the county, UDA for those coming from Turkana West and that of Turkana South. To salvage any possible disintegration, please DP kindly give us clear and fair direction,” Prof Ekal said at the festival.
Meanwhile, several ardent allies of Dr Ruto have been at the end of some embarrassing reception in their home turfs, exposing the soft underbellies of some of those who had fronted a tight support base before the DP’s visit.
Allies of Dr Ruto who spoke to the Nation yesterday said the heckling and jeering is because of the popularity of leaders on the ground. Keiyo South MP Daniel Rono, an ardent supporter of DP Ruto, said in case a leader is booed in the DP’s rally, he will only sympathise with the leader but he cannot interfere with people's wishes.
“Dr Ruto never interferes with people’s wishes. He may only guide but if you have been rejected by the electorate, he can only sympathise with you,” he said.
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, another DP ally, said what is going on is internal democracy taking shape. “In our rallies, local politics play out and unpopular candidates will also feel the pinch which is a demonstration of internal democracy,” he said.
While in his Rift Valley political backyard a few weeks ago, the DP watched pensively without intervening as Governor Sang and Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter were booed by locals in Kapsabet town. A similar scenario played out in Uasin Gishu when Kesses MP Swarup Mishra felt the heat from Dr Ruto’s brigade who accused him of betrayal. The DP did nothing to save Mr Mishra.
Instead, in what seemed to be like an attack on those perceived as rebels in the region, the DP said individuals who are not upright within the party should not be elected come next year.
For Soy MP Caleb Kositany, who is viewed as DP’s de-facto spokesperson, those who have been siding with the Kieleweke team allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta should not be entertained.
“Some people who decided to work with people who despised us and kicked us out of Jubilee Party have started appearing in DP Ruto’s events but residents know what is best for them,” said Mr Kositany.
According to Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata, some leaders have lost trust with the public leading to heckling. He also accused some leaders of hiring goons to to boo their opponents in rallies.
