By Anderson Ojwang
On June 3rd, 2006, at Eldoret Sports Club, leaders led by then-Orange leader Raila Odinga converged at the ground to mark a historical moment.
Among those present were the Luo Council of Elders, led by the then chairman, the late Ker Riaga Ogalo, elders from the Kalenjin community, and former vice President Musalia Mudavadi.
Raila after leading a successful campaign for the proponent of the No against the draft constitutional amendment, had another battle of a lifetime to fulfill.
This time, it was the battle for his new ally and student, then Eldoret North MP William Samoei Ruto. The new political kid on the block.
Ruto then Kanu Secretary General was the emerging political leader from Rift Valley after the party’s candidate Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta was vanquished in the 2022 presidential contest by Narc candidate Mwai Kibaki.
With Kanu debeaked and never crowing again, the political future for the Valley looked bleak after 24 years of power.
The Valley was in a somber mood. Panic and anxiety were the hallmarks of the once beaming and cheerful Valley.
While Kanu was in a free fall, Ruto became embroiled in a political battle with immediate former President Daniel Arap Moi over the leadership of the Kalenjin community.
In the instructions and political mechanization of Raila, Eldoret sports club became the venue where Ruto was installed as a Kalenjin elder and subsequently became the community leader.
At the installation, Raila told the mammoth crowd that Ruto had come of age and it was time he took over the leadership of the community.
Enraged Moi, dismissed the installation and instead asked the Kalenjin community to listen and follow former powerful cabinet minister the late Nicholas Biwott and former minister Henry Kosgey.
But Ruto, the star was rising and he soon assumed the community leadership, which has remained firmly in his grip to date.
Sixteen years later and for the second time, Raila once again came to Ruto’s political rescue after he was faced with a battle of survival from Gen Zee over the Finance Bill and his immediate former Deputy, Rigathi Cachagua.
This time, Raila marshaled his troops both at the national assembly and at the Senate to ensure the impeachment motion against the deputy president succeeded.
The motion by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Matuse got a majority support of 281 votes to proceed to the Senate.
Mutuse preferred 11 charges upon which MPs voted to send Rigathi home and the Senate also confirmed the impeachment, leaving the former Deputy president as the first officeholder to be impeached.
At the Senate, Raila’s top ally Siaya governor James Orengo led the counsel team for the assembly despite earlier protests from allies of the Deputy President.
Also on the team was Rarieda MP Otiende Amolo, both Orengo and Otiende have been key in the prosecution of Raila’s presidential cases at the Supreme Court.
Raila’s ODM broke ranks with their colleagues on the Azimio coalition to form a broad-based government and also to support the impeachment motion of the deputy president.
In the broad-based government, top ODM leaders John Mbadi, Hassan Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya, and Opiyo Wandayi were all appointed to the cabinet
And on Thursday night, Raila delivered a second victory to President Ruto, who will now have a new deputy president and has successfully guillotined his ally turned foe.
According to former Nyakach MP, Pollyns Ochieng Raila has a soft spot for President Ruto and will always come to his rescue whenever he is faced with political battles.
He argues that for Raila, President Ruto remains the prodigal son and that is why despite their previous fallout, they have always come together for a common political course.
” For Raila, Ruto is his student and just like a teacher, he protects his student from adversaries even if he has come of age. Teachers always want the best for their students and are often very protective of them ” he says
Ochieng says through Raila, Ruto was able to assume the Kalenjin community leadership mantle and currently, he has enabled Ruto to wrestle down his main political nightmare in the Kenya kwanza coalition government.
He says Ruto and Raila could have a bond that is hard to break even if they have had political differences in the past
Kisumu-based advocate and Analyst Joshua Nyamori says Raila often says there are no permanent friends and enemies in politics and this has come to pass after he came in for President Ruto at hos lowest moment.
Nyamori says for the interest of the nation, the decision for the two leaders to work together was calming and gave hope to Kenyans to engage in their daily activities.
“Kenyans wanted peace and the decision by Raila to work with the President is a welcome and a milestone. This is a step in the right direction,” he says.
