Kabogo remarks on Ruto's 2022 support for top seat jolt Jubilee

Kiambu Governor William Kabogo

Recent remarks attributed to Kiambu Governor William Kabogo regarding Deputy President William Ruto’s support in Central Kenya have raised political tensions within Jubilee.

Kabogo’s remarks have put the vote-rich Mt Kenya region, which has over the years been accused of being selfish by only voting for their own in elections, firmly on the spotlight.

Although most senior Jubilee operatives have dismissed Kabogo’s claim that the region would not automatically back Ruto for presidency in 2022 as a personal view, the grapevine is on overdrive with all sorts of speculation.

“Even if we promised someone a seat, we will have to sit down and talk. We will not just give away the seat like that. If you think because we agreed it will go like that, we have the votes and therefore have to be respected,” said Kabogo on Tuesday.

The comments have raised eyebrows in both DP Ruto’s Rift Valley backyard and President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Mt Kenya bedrock, with many leaders feeling they might rock his re-election bid.

Automatic candidate

Most sharp reactions have come from Mt Kenya region. They leaders feel that such “reckless” remarks might throw a spanner in the works as President Kenyatta seeks a second term.

Strong criticism on Kabogo has come from leaders led by Kiraitu Murungi, Lenny Kivuti and Jamleck Kamau, who have accused the Kiambu governor of trying to break the Jubilee coalition.

Kiraitu, who is chairing the Jubilee parties merger process, said the coalition’s strongholds had a firm stand that the Deputy President (DP) would be its automatic candidate in 2022.

“We have no other candidate and nothing is going to change between now and then. Ruto is our man,” said the Meru senator.

Kiraitu, who was hosting Ruto yesterday, (see separate story) said Kabogo’s position should not be confused with that of the Jubilee party or the Mt Kenya region as he was only expressing a personal opinion.

Kamau told off Kabogo, saying he does not sit in the Jubilee National Steering Committee and cannot cannot be perceived to speak on behalf of the coalition or region.

Another group of Central Kenya leaders, including Ferdinand Waititu (Kabete), Maina Kamanda (Starehe), Kimani Ichung’wa (Kikuyu), Alice N’gan’ga (Thika Town), Jude Njomo (Kiambu Town), Irungu Kang’ata (Kiharu), Benson Mutura (Makadara) and Kiragu Chege (Limuru) distanced the region from Kabogo’s sentiments, saying his utterances were reckless.

“Since when did Mr Kabogo become the spokesman for the people and leaders of Mt Kenya? As a region, we will support Mr Ruto for the presidency when President Kenyatta retires in 2022,” Kamanda said.

“We would like to state that his utterances are nothing but a personal position on the matter,” said Waititu.

In the Rift Valley, some leaders feel that Kabogo might have let the cat out of the bag, much to the chagrin of powerful people in Jubilee.

The leaders feel the Kiambu governor’s comments represent a popular view in the president’s backyard and should not be swept under the carpet. What seems to have irked the Rift Valley region more are Kabogo’s sentiments that the President Kenyatta’s Mt Kenya backyard will deliberate on who to back in 2022.

Yet historical voting patterns show that Central Kenya voters are known for voting only for their own candidates, lending credence to Kabogo’s views.

Massive support

Presidential candidates from the populous Central Kenya region have in the past received massive support from other communities. But the region is seen to have never reciprocated the support.

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga supported Kenya’s founding father Jomo Kenyatta when declined to take over government after Kanu won the election of 1961.

Jaramogi argued that Kenyatta, who at the time was in detention, was Kenya’s rightful leader and demanded that he be released and allowed to run the government.

In the advent of multi-party elections in 1992, the western Kenya block supported Kenneth Matiba when he unsuccessfully vied for the presidency on a Ford-Asili Ticket.

The famous Kibaki Tosha statement by Raila Odinga at Uhuru park in Nairobi is attributed for Mwai Kibaki’s land slide win in 2002.

In the disputed 2007 elections, Kalonzo Musyoka, then of ODM-Kenya, joined President Kibaki’s Party of National Unity (PNU) in a post-election deal.

In the 2013 elections, President Kenyatta got overwhelming support from the Rift Valley after he teamed up with Ruto on a Jubilee ticket.

It is from this historical point of view that Rift Valley leaders argue that Kabogo’s sentiments should not be taken lightly. The leaders in Ruto’s Rift Valley backyard have asked the DP to take the revelations seriously.

Former Kalenjin Council of Elders Chair (rtd) Major John Seii said Kabogo’s timing for such sentiments is suspect.

“Whether Mt Kenya will back Ruto or not is not the issue. What is important is that leaders should desist from such tribal statements because it is not good for the country’s political stability,” said Major Seii.

Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter said Kabogo had only revealed the thoughts of certain high ranking individuals in Jubilee.

“Whatever he made public is likely to be growing concern from our counterparts who have constantly kept it to themselves,” he said.

Bureti MP Leonard Sang maintained that the DP’s ascension to the top seat is guaranteed. “Our friends from Central Kenya have pledged to support Ruto in 2022 and we are optimistic they will honour their word. The current suspicions will come to pass,” he added.

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso told off Kabogo, saying he has no authority to speak on behalf of the region.

“President Kenyatta and Deputy President Ruto are the anointed leaders and ultimate spokespersons of the country and their regions. The two leaders have pledged that they are going to work and walk together in the next general election and beyond. Anyone else saying contrary things is just backing the wrong tree,” said Dr Laboso.

However, Marakwet East MP Kangogo Bowen said Kabogo’s utterances should be taken seriously.

“Kabogo must be telling the truth and such a person is a sincere friend who should not be cast away. He should instead be invited for a cup of tea so he can shed more light on the strategies Mt Kenya leaders have,” he said.

But political analyst Peter Kagwanja thinks the notion that the Kikuyu community can never support an outsider is propaganda propagated by some people for political expediency.

“Research shows that about 90 per cent of voters who elected the late Tom Mboya as Bahati MP in Nairobi were Kikuyus. They elected him irrespective of one of their own Munyua Waiyaki being on the ballot,” said Prof Kagwanja.

The political pundit said the DP has what it takes to gain the support of the Kikuyu come 2022.

“He has been in the region more than 40 times which has gone a long way in building the community’s confidence in him. He still has seven more years to fully win their hearts,” he said.

Prof Kagwanja said the Kabogo’s remarks were aimed at drawing the Deputy President into the vicious Kiambu politics.

“Kabogo is fighting the DP because he views him as hosting his enemies. There is a perception that Ruto is supporting Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu who wants to unseat Kabogo. James Nyoro, who was his main challenger in the last elections, worked in Ruto’s office as an advisor on agriculture before he left,” Kagwanja told The Standard on Sunday.

Philip Chebunet, the head of communications at the University of Eldoret (UoE), says Ruto should think of a plan B if he is to successfully clinch the presidency in 2022.

“He should not antagonise Western and Nyanza voters and the best way to do so is to stop hitting hard on its leadership,” said Chebunet.

-Reports by Kamau Maichuhie, Silah Koskei and Nikko Tanui.