The debate and underground movements to stop the Deputy President William Ruto from becoming the next Commander in Chief are gaining momentum.
Those engineering the process have 4 killer steps to make their agenda sail through:
Phase One, according to people aware of it, was to remove the DP from making decisions on which development projects will be prioritised and funded by the government.
President Uhuru Kenyatta dramatically implemented that last week when he issued an Executive Order placing Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i in charge of all projects.
“There is no way we will allow Ruto to become President. Either he accepts to retire with his boss or we will force him to retire,” pledged former Jubilee vice chair David Murathe yesterday.
Ruto’s critics say he is corrupt, which he vigorously denies. They say he is already campaigning for himself, not the people of Kenya as he commissions projects. Central Kenya business leaders also have indicated they don’t trust him to safeguard their interests. And Central wants one of their own to wield power. Further, Ruto is not descended from a Kenyan dynasty.
The second part of the plan will be implemented when the widely expected referendum will be held. The Building Bridges Team is expected to make wide-ranging recommendations on which constitutional changes Kenyans will be asked to decide.
People close to the President yesterday told the Star they will push for a ceremonial president, an executive prime minister and two deputies. But Ruto wants to be a powerful President.
The new positions would be filled after the 2022 General Election but the occupants will be decided before the polls.
In this plan, Ruto will not be the presidential candidate but will be offered one of the Deputy Prime Ministers position. Should he reject that, Baringo Senator Gideon Moi will take the DP’s place.
“We believe anyone but Ruto should be President,” former Starehe MP Maina Kamanda said.
The third aspect of the plan is to build a new coalition bringing together Raila Odinga’s ODM, Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper, Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC and Gideon Moi’s Kanu.
Already Uhuru is spending a lot of time with Raila and consulting with him on many issues since the handshake on May 9 last year.
Kalonzo has also been brought in and Mudavadi is being encouraged to make inroads in Central Kenya.
A mass walkout from Jubilee by leaders from Mt Kenya region is also part of the scheme. Some of the region’s politicians are already considering creating a new party, cobbling together a new alliance with other parties, or revamping an existing party in order to stop Ruto.
But yesterday National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale said Jubilee was intact.
“Jubilee is firm under the leadership of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto. When the President tells us at an appropriate time, we shall start campaigns. The President has said he will be Ruto’s chief campaigner,” the Garissa Township MP said.
Do you think the steps will succeed in bringing down DP Ruto?