ODM Party Deputy party leader and Kisii County Governor Simba Arati.
The question of who will be the next Deputy President, should Dr William Ruto retain tenancy at the House on the Hill, took centre stage in a closed-door session of a retreat of leaders in the broad-based government in Naivasha on Monday.
Sources at the meeting said the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) stuck to its guns, maintaining that the party will accept nothing less of its demands.
Multiple sources said ODM Deputy Party Leader and Kisii Governor Simba Arati kicked up a storm, to the chagrin of some delegates.
While ODM lawmakers were impressed by the governor's boldness when he spoke before President Ruto and DP Kithure Kindiki, their Kenya Kwanza counterparts were not.
In his demand, Mr Arati called for a 50/50 sharing of government positions, stating that the DP slot should go to ODM as President Ruto — the coalition's presidential candidate — comes from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Mr Arati's demand reportedly unsettled MPs from Mt Kenya, who murmured in response to the governor's call. They interpreted it as a sign of disrespect towards Prof Kindiki.
However, Khwisero Member of Parliament Christopher Aseka defended Mr Arati. He said that ODM should be treated as an equal partner.
“There was no walkout, but there were some murmurs, frowning and a sense of dissatisfaction from the other camp, which is normal because this is an issue that has even brought a lot of disagreements before,” Mr Aseka told the Nation.
“Mr Arati was the only one who spoke. He did that as the ODM Deputy Party Leader. We expected him to articulate our issues. Maybe those who were dissatisfied later talked outside. In the meeting, no one walked out.”
The vocal legislator and other MPs from Kakamega County have been fronting Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya to be Dr Ruto’s running mate in the 2027 General Election.
The move to front Mr Oparanya is meant to counter the rising political star of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna in Western region.
National Assembly Leader of Minority Junet Mohamed told the Nation that, indeed, Mr Arati raised the matter. He also said there was no fight or walkout as reported in the media.
Suna East MP and National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed.
“Arati indeed raised the issue, but there was no fight over it. We first agreed to form a coalition, then discuss the position later,” Mr Mohamed said.
“However, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir said the talks did not get to the negotiations on the position of the DP.
“We didn’t get to that level. The position of the DP will be discussed simultaneously as the team crafts the coalition’s manifesto. Negotiations cannot be done in a room with over 300 leaders,” Mr Nassir said.
Governor Arati had not answered our calls or text message sent to his known number by the time going to press.
Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe, who is said to have led the protest by Mt Kenya MPs on ODM’s stand, also did not answer our calls nor respond to the message sent to him.
Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe.
As unease built, sources at the meeting said that Prof Kindiki watched the unfolding events calmly before President Ruto asked him to give a summary of the discussions for the day.
“We need to wrap up on where we stand today, and there is no better person who can connect between economy, social issues, education, devolution, and diplomacy better than my deputy,” President Ruto told MPs.
Dr Ruto’s remarks elicited thunderous cheer from Kenya Kwanza-allied MPs.
Prof Kindiki ignored the debate on the DP’s position and spent 45 minutes giving a summary of the government’s achievement.
Mt Kenya MPs have argued that it is only the DP position that they can now use for campaigns, and any attempt to take it away risks exposing them to their electorate. The lawmakers also warned that denying Mt Kenya the slot will give former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua fodder to continue hitting the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“How do we go back and campaign in our region when the DP position has been taken away? We are not letting Prof Kindiki go anywhere said a second term MP from Mt Kenya.
Separately, a 10-man committee named to craft a 2027 election roadmap has been given one month to deliver on its mandate, the Nation has learnt.
A source, who attended the deliberations at the Naivasha retreat presided over by President Ruto and ODM leader Dr Oburu Oginga, revealed that the team is expected to draw a joint manifesto.
While both parties have agreed on the coalition's flag bearer being President Ruto, the contention will be on the Deputy President's position (running mate), which is being claimed by the ODM party even with the current holder being from Mt Kenya.
Insider information, however, reveals that the decision will be left in the hands of President Ruto, who will decide his running-mate based on their value for the ticket in what is shaping up to be a hotly contested poll.
“This is a game of numbers, and it is currently open to anyone from the coalition. Whether it is ODM or Kenya Kwanza, the candidate will be picked based on the numbers they bring to the coalition. Even if it is from the mountain, should the candidate prove to have enough numbers, the president may have to consider,” said the source.
By virtue of recent opinion polls, Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki appears well positioned to retain his place on President William Ruto's ticket should the Head of State secure re-election in the 2027 General Election.
However, several surveys continue to rank Prof Kindiki as the most preferred running mate for President Ruto ahead of other leaders serving in the broad-based government.
The latest poll released on July 13 shows Prof. Kindiki leading the field with 34 per cent support among those mentioned as potential running mates. He is the only contender to score above the 20 per cent mark.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga came second with 11 percent, followed by ODM leader Dr Oburu Oginga at five per cent and Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho at four percent.
Mr Oparanya, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi have also been mentioned by some leaders from Western Kenya as possible alternatives to Prof Kindiki.
Interestingly, Prof Kindiki also enjoys the highest support in regions where other potential candidates are considered politically influential. In Western Kenya, he leads with 36 percent, while in Nyanza he commands 28 percent support, higher than Governor Wanga's 21 percent in her perceived political backyard.
The findings are consistent with an earlier TIFA poll released on May 14, which placed Prof. Kindiki at 59 percent, far ahead of Governor Wanga at 12 percent. Dr Oburu Oginga scored three percent, while Mr Joho received one percent.
If the opinion polls are anything to go by, the debate over who should be President Ruto's running mate in the 2027 election may already be settling in Prof Kindiki's favour, giving the ruling camp ample time to prepare for the election.
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Additional reporting by Vitalis Kimutai and Joseph Openda
