Uhuru, Ruto hint at new strategy to lock Raila out of State House

By Athman Amran

A new strategy to defeat Prime Minister Raila Odinga in 2012 General Election will be unveiled before the end of this month.

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto indicated on Friday that in the proposed plan, all communities across the country would be united in readiness for next year’s polls.

Uhuru and Ruto hinted during their meet-the-people tour of Kiambu that they will work with Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa, Adan Duale and Matuga MP Chirau Ali Mwakwere.

While Uhuru will spearhead the efforts in Central, Ruto, Kalonzo, Wamalwa, Mwakwere and Dualle will be in charge of Rift Valley, Eastern, Western, Coast and North Eastern regions respectively.

However, they did not disclose who their representative in Nyanza, which is Raila’s stronghold, would be.

"We will all work together. Or do you want us to part ways?" Uhuru asked during a tour of the Kiambu County. The convoy of more the 20 MPs made stop overs at Ruaka shopping centre, Karuri shopping centre and Kiambu town. The main rally was at Githunguri town where a crowd turned up to listen to the leaders.

Uhuru said it was important that communities unite so that they become one. He said no one tribe can rule Kenya.

"It is important to have a peaceful Kenya," Uhuru told the rally.

He said Kenyans should choose leaders who have the interest of Kenyans at heart and not those "out to sell them to foreigners."

Ruto said campaigns for the 2012 elections had started in earnest.

"Safari ya kesho inapangwa leo (tomorrow’s journey is prepared today)," Ruto said, adding he and his allies will create a political vessel which will take over leadership in 2012 .

"This time we will not want to play a guessing game," he said.

Uhuru said that they had been forced into early campaigns by Raila’s provocations.

He said he and Ruto were doing their work in the Grand Coalition Government but "some people have chosen to continue with politics though some non-governmental organisations." "If it is politics he (Raila) wants then we will all plunge into politics," Uhuru said.

He said they had been forced into a duel and had now decided to seek people’s opinion on whether they should be tried at The Hague or in Kenya.