President William Ruto is expected to reorganise his cabinet any time to accommodate Kanu chairman Gideon Moi, the latest addition to the broad-based government.
According to sources close to the President, the changes have become even more urgent following the death of ODM leader Raila Odinga, the man Dr Ruto turned to last year when Gen Z protests threatened his hold on power.
Odinga’s death has left a glaring political vacuum and disrupted the delicate balance that defined Kenya’s new, broad-based government. Now that Odinga is gone, President Ruto faces the task of recalibrating his unity project to ensure stability ahead of 2027.
Kanu Secretary-General George Wainaina confirmed the ongoing cooperation between the two leaders, describing it as a unity-based partnership rather than one based on patronage. He said that party experts are working on the finer details of the new cooperation, which will see a number of Moi’s allies secure plum positions.
“Our technical teams are still working out the details, but the agreement was never about being compensated — it’s about national unity,” said Mr Wainaina.
The pact that Dr Ruto and Mr Moi are expected to sign will see Kanu’s return to the heart of power after years in the political wilderness. Cabinet positions and other roles are in return for Mr Moi abandoning his senatorial ambitions in the November 27 by-election in Baringo. The president and the Kanu leader, who were arch rivals, had a surprise meeting at State House on October 9 and the Head of State visited the Kabarak home of the late President Moi, Gideon’s father, the following day to firm up the rapprochement that saw the Kanu chairman step down from the race for the Baringo Senate seat in favour of the ruling party’s candidate.
President William Ruto and Kanu Chairman Gideon Moi during a meeting with Baringo residents in Kabarak, Nakuru County on October 10, 2025.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
The Nation established that the pact was sealed after a series of meetings between President Ruto and Mr Moi — two of which were held in Kenya and one in Dubai last month.
“The coming together of President Ruto and Gideon Moi was organised by Raila Odinga. It is unfortunate he did not live to see it actualised,” said a source familiar with the talks.
Other insiders revealed that Mr Moi is interested in the Roads and Transport Cabinet portfolio, which is currently held by Mr Davis Chirchir. This could result in Mr Chirchir, who is a close ally of the president, being reassigned.
Commenting on the matter, Head of the Presidential Communication Service, Munyori Buku, said: “Appointment to the Cabinet is the discretion of the President, the appointing authority.”
Further information from sources close to the discussions revealed that the deal also includes the appointment of some of Mr Moi’s loyalists as principal secretaries, ambassadors and heads of state parastatals. Mr Moi has reportedly provided names to the president for background checks.
Ms Gladwell Tungo, the former Baringo Woman Representative and one of Mr Moi’s fiercest supporters during the 2022 elections, is said to be in line for a senior government role. She was present at the State House meeting between Mr Moi and President Ruto prior to Mr Moi's withdrawal from the Senate race.
Mr Ibrahim Sheikh, Kanu’s First Vice Chairman, is also tipped for appointment. A seasoned politician from North Eastern, Mr Sheikh is respected among the Ajuran community and reportedly, he alone accompanied Mr Moi to the crucial meeting in Abu Dhabi.
Kanu Secretary General George Wainaina (left), 1st vice chairman Ibrahim Sheikh and National Youth Congress Secretary Atieno Ogolla (in cap) speak to journalists at Emory Hotel in Nairobi on Thursday.
Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation Media Group
Other names being mentioned as possible beneficiaries include Mr Abdirahman Bafadhil, a founding member of the YK’92, and former Minister Samuel Poghisio, who served as Senate Minority Leader in the last Parliament.
Others expected to be considered include Eddie Kivuvani, Kanu’s National Treasurer, and Ali Khan, the party’s Director of Elections and Mr Moi’s long-standing aide. Although they are not openly expressing much interest in the upcoming appointments, Mr Wainaina said: “Those appointments may come, and our members can benefit in one way or another.”
Former Minister Samuel Poghisio.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
However, Mr Wainaina sought to downplay the deal, saying that Kanu’s priority was to contribute to national development rather than chase government positions. “There are more important things we would like addressed as a nation,” he added, arguing the appointments were not the only reason they joined the broad-based government.
Mr Moi’s entry into the cabinet could also come with an even more powerful role: Deputy Prime Cabinet Secretary (DPCS), which would make him the fourth most senior government official after President Ruto, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi .
Mr Wainaina also announced that Kanu will host the Democratic Union of Africa Conference next week, providing a platform to demonstrate the party's commitment to democratic principles and regional cooperation.
“I have been out of the country, but I’m now back. I will be meeting the chairman, and as a party, we will give an accurate report. Otherwise, it is true I have also heard of such reports,” Mr Sheikh told Nation.
Part of the deal, Nation gathered, is the settlement of nearly Sh3 billion pending bills owed to Gideon’s companies in the energy sector, including for works done for the Geothermal Development Company (GDC).
“Mr Moi was frustrated that despite completing works for which he was contracted, GDC delayed payments. Whenever he invoiced for settlement, documents would misleadingly show he had already been paid — prompting KRA to demand taxes. It became a vicious cycle,” his ally told Nation.
The discussions between Mr Moi and President Ruto include a long-term framework for political cooperation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Analysts believe the Ruto-Moi handshake fits neatly into the President’s broader strategy of constructing a “broad-based government” — a coalition designed to bring together leaders from across political divides to consolidate national stability and bolster his re-election prospects. He cannot afford bickering in his own backyard ahead of an election expected to be close. Both Moi and Ruto are from the former Rift Valley province.
The inclusive model was first launched on March 8, 2025, when President Ruto and Odinga signed a joint cooperation framework at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). Odinga’s cooperation with President Ruto opened the door for opposition figures to join Cabinet including; former ODM Deputy Party Leaders Wycliffe Oparanya (Co-operatives and MSMEs), Ali Hassan Joho (Mining and Blue Economy), ex-ODM National Chairperson John Mbadi (National Treasury), former Director of Political Affairs Opiyo Wandayi (Energy), and former elections board member Beatrice Askul (EAC and ASALs).
President William Ruto and KANU Party Leader Gideon Moi after a meeting at State House, Nairobi.
Photo credit: PCS
Mr Odinga’s death, however, has left a vacuum in the opposition, and his unifying role in mediating the Moi-Ruto talks may have accelerated the new political realignment. President Ruto has consistently maintained that his inclusivity drive is not about political rewards but about strengthening national unity and fast-tracking development.
“This is not about individuals, personalities, or regions — it is about Kenya,” he said during his visit to Kabarak in early September, where he met the Moi family. “We are late in our development journey. I need more hands, and that is why I formed the broad-based government. Now I need Gideon to help me move the country forward.”
The alliance not only signals the re-entry of the Moi family into national politics but also redefines power relations within the Rift Valley, where Gideon has long been seen as Ruto’s rival.
For Gideon, it marks an extraordinary comeback after years of political dormancy. It repositions him at the centre of national decision-making while restoring the Moi family’s historic influence in state affairs. Kanu, once dismissed as a relic of Kenya’s single-party past, now finds itself re-emerging as a strategic ally in shaping the country’s future political direction.
Yet, President Ruto’s planned reorganisation is not without risks. Expanding the Cabinet and redistributing key portfolios could trigger resentment among current office holders and strain internal dynamics within the ruling coalition.
