The war of words between Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga was still picking pace on Sunday, even as President Kenyatta avoided appearance.
Yesterday, the war was fought on three fronts, Turkana, Meru and Naivasha. In Turkana, DP Ruto told Raila that there was no room for politics of fraud in Jubilee.
“Deceit and conmanship is not part of our political infrastructure in Jubilee,” Ruto said.
Mr. Odinga had been quoted as saying that any agreement between Ruto and Uhuru concerning 2022 elections was of no consequence and could be disregarded. The agreement, which President Kenyatta had acknowledged in public before last year’s handshake with Raila, should see him support Ruto in 2022.
But according to Mr. Odinga, since it was a pact of two people that did not involve the likes of himself, Uhuru was free to put it aside and support someone else. In his rejoinder, Dr. Ruto told him that way of doing business would not work in Jubilee.
Baringo Senator Gideon Moi was in Imenti in Meru, where he led his team in attacking Ruto. Gideon Moi was showing rare consistency in attending two successive public events, for someone who normally appears once then disappears for weeks or months.
The Kanu Chairman warned Ruto to prepare for stiff competition in 2022. “When the time comes people will take off their coats and jump into the fray,” he said.
But although Gideon was away from his father’s Kabarak residence, which is refreshing for a man who regularly does his political business from there, he was still invoking the name of Senior Moi.
Senator Moi told the people of Meru that he was there to deliver a special message from his father. In Naivasha, a self-professed pro-Uhuru and pro-handshake group that included Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny came under criticism from area MP, Jayne Kihara.
Ms Kihara told them off for violating protocol visiting her constituency without informing her. The MP said Rift Valley was united behind DP Ruto, both Kalenjin and Kikuyu communities.