By Anderson Ojwang
Where did your political leader leave you? Were you left or you left?
This is the question gaining prominence ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with the main character being President William Samoei Ruto, the fifth President of the Republic of Kenya.
The 2027 presidential election will be settled on the altar of where the two Kenya’s prominent politicians, immediate former President Uhuru Kenyatta and the former Prime Minister, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, left their political flock.
In this script, the main character is Ruto, while Uhuru and Raila form the plot, the theme of the story, while ODM luminaries and Jubilee Alliance brigades are the minor characters.
“Left”
Take a moment and ask the difficult question: were you left or you left? This is the question which is causing political havoc in the country, with major political consequences.
So where were you left by your political leader in the emerging political formation and realignment ahead of the August 10th, 2027, General Election?
For instance, the Jubilee Alliance of former President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto came up with a slogan of Kumi-Kumi in an alliance of convenience in the 2013 General Election.
“Yangu kumi na yako kumi” Uhuru said then as they campaigned and when the bromance lasted while it blossomed.
For Uhuru, he was to serve for 10 years and later hand over to his deputy Ruto to serve for another 10 years before any other leader would occupy the office.
In 2022, despite Uhuru reneging on his early promise for Ruto kumi, and instead supporting Azimio presidential candidate, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, he presided over a peaceful power transfer to Ruto after victory.
Interesting, Uhuru only openly said he supported Raila but didn’t go out to campaign for Raila in his backyard of Mt Kenya, which handed Ruto the presidency.
Instead, his former personal assistant, Rigathi Gachagua, became Ruto’s key man in Mt Kenya and delivered votes of victory to land the presidency.
Indeed, Uhuru has witnessed the first Tano of Ruto come to an end on August 10th, 2027, and Ruto will seek his balance of Tano to make it Kumi.
That is why Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru said they have remained where Uhuru left them, Kumi Yangu na Kumi Yake.
“I respect Uhuru, and Uhuru himself said, ‘Yangu kumi, ya Ruto kumi,’ and that’s where he left me,” she said.
Waiguru has broken her silence on the country’s shifting opposition politics, declaring that she will not align herself with Democracy for the Citizens (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua, popularly known as Wamunyoro.
Waiguru said she had deliberately kept a low profile for six weeks and would not join camps that “chase and deny people microphones.”
“I have talked less. You have been telling me to go where people are being chased and denied microphones. I will not join Wamunyoro, I have been keeping quiet for six weeks. I will not join there,” she said.
Tano
Ruto has in recent times accused Uhuru of scheming with the opposition against him in the presidential elections.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, accusing his predecessor of financing the Opposition in an attempt to undermine his administration.
**“Mkipima wale watu, ule sponsor wao, alishindwa na maneno ya Affordable Housing? Alishindwa na mambo ya Universal Health Coverage? Alishindwa na maneno ya kusomesha watoto wetu.
Sasa ameenda kupanga vibaraka wake, anatuma hapa watu kuja kushindana na mimi. Hawa watu nitawaosha asubuhi na mapema. Wale watu, umeskia maono ama sera zao? Wale majamaa hawana mpango, sera, agenda na hata akili,”** he said.
Broad based
The ODM wing of the broad-based alliance have maintained that Raila left them in broad-based and that they will not go against Raila’s last will.
ODM party leader Dr Oburu Oginga maintained that the party would – in the meantime – continue to be part of the broad-based government, as the late Raila Odinga had directed before his death.
“Kiti ambacho mmenipa, nitaendelea vile Raila alikuwa anataka na sitakuwa na uoga wowote. Raila ndio alituacha kwa broad-based government. Sisi tumesema ikifika 2027 tutaangalia ni nani tutaongea na yeye ama tutaenda peke yetu. We don’t cross the bridge until we reach the bridge.” He said.
ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga said Raila left ODM in Broad Based and that they have embarked on a pre-election coalition with President Ruto.
“We are marching forward building pre-election coalition with UDA and President Ruto. We will not leave the government to join the opposition. We will remain in the broad-based,” she said.
Who told you
The Who Told You wing, now the Linda Mwananchi, have left the broad-based and have emerged as a potential challenger to President Ruto.
The sacked ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Siaya Governor James Orengo have hyped the slogan of Who Told You and parted ways with Baba, who left us in the broad-based government.
With the election looming, the left will face off with Who Told You at the presidential ballot, and the electorate will referee the game.
