‘DP Ruto is the frontrunner in Mt. Kenya,’ says former CS Kiunjuri

Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri has asserted that Deputy President William Ruto has a definitive advantage over his rivals in the race to woo the Mount Kenya region for votes ahead of the August polls. 

Since siding with President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2013, Kiunjuri argues that the DP has charmed himself into the hearts of Mt. Kenya residents, owing to the fact that he played an integral role in helping Kenyatta clinch the presidency after previous failed attempts.

“The people of Mt. Kenya region felt indebted in one way or another in that he helped their son to become president and that alone has really endeared him. He also went ahead to make friends and has his own grassroots people, that is not a candidate you can ignore,” Kiunjuri said in an interview with the Nation newspaper.  

Despite labeling Ruto as the frontrunner in the region, Kiunjuri added that the DP will have to tread carefully to maintain his influence especially since he has not publicly declared his intention to work with a number of influential Mt. Kenya leaders unlike his main rival, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga.

“He (Ruto) has chosen to ignore the leaders when it comes to his campaigns and has not been able to say if he is working with any of them. Remember Raila Odinga came and the first thing he did was to go to all the leaders in the region,” Kiunjuri added.

“Much as you would like to ignore them, there is no community that does not have its leaders.”

According to The Service Party of Kenya (TSP) leader, DP Ruto’s stance on not forming ‘tribal coalitions’, to augment his presidential bid may come back to haunt him once the polls are set and done.

He consequently added that the DP’s recent chastising of Odinga over claims that the ODM leader abhors Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetangula was not helping his cause.

“DP Ruto despises Mt. Kenya leaders and has decided to eclipse them. Those small things can cost him dearly. Look at what happened in Kirinyaga County. (Woman Representative) Wangui Ngirici’s heart is pained. Do you want to tell me that Ngirici cannot influence 5,000 people? She can influence much more than that. DP Ruto should put his house in order,” he added.

“Raila has been demonized in the mountain for ages. Do you think he stands a chance there? Nothing is impossible. Raila can definitely penetrate Mt. Kenya. How far can he go? That is the big question. That will depend on the number of missteps that the DP will make in the region.”

While underscoring that his TSP party was not ready to contest for the presidency, the former CS hinted that it was willing to listen to offers pertaining the forming of coalitions in as far as the race is concerned.