There was a time when Deputy President William Ruto was the strongest politician in Kenya. Ruto was at the heart of government and everything he said could only be questioned by God himuselefu. Ruto made Rashid Echesa, a man who has never been inside a classroom. The only time that Echesa was seen in an exam room was when he was supervising last year’s national exams.
The DP was a strong man. Everyone wanted to hang on him for political survival. Even Migori governor Okoth Obado, thought that Ruto could save him from crocodile jaws, how wrong he was.
Things have changed so much that Ruto cannot even guarantee his own safety. President Uhuru Kenyatta’s decision to appoint Interior CS Fred Matiang’i as his chief minister has been interpreted by some people as a deliberate decision to clip the powers of his DP who has set eyes on State House.
Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa has become the latest William Ruto’s friend to sink. The vocal coast politician had set tongues wagging when she took on her party ODM and started campaigning for Ruto.
ODM has now expelled Aisha and her Msambweni Counterpart Suleiman Dori from the Party. The two have been expelled from all Parliamentary committees with immediate effect. They now risk losing their sits in parliament.
NEC has endorsed recommendation by the Disciplinary Committee to expel Hon. Aisha Jumwa and Hon. Suleiman Dori from the party. National Governing Council of the party to be convened to ratify the recommendation.
— The ODM Party (@TheODMparty) January 24, 2019
The question is can they defend their sits on another ticket? The fact that Ruto does not even have a party at the moment makes matters even difficult for the two.
Ruto’s woes can be traced to the handshake between Raila and his brother Uhuru Kenyatta. Since March last year, several Kalenjin CEOs from Kenya Pipeline, NCPB, Kenya Power etc have been arrested and charged with corruption.
Can Ruto withstand all this pressure?