ODM leader Raila Odinga has finally reached out to William Ruto for a possible alliance following months of speculation.
The two formidable politicians have opened talks whose results could be a strong political alliance rivalling One Kenya Alliance by Moses Wetangula, Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka and Gideon Moi.
Kivumbi.co.ke understands Raila Odinga sent his deputy party leader and Kakamega county governor Wycliffe Oparanya to discuss an alliance with Ruto.
Former Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri and ex-sports CS Rashid Achesa were part of the meeting held on Thursday April 8 at a luxury resort in Maasai Mara game reserve.
According to insiders who spoke to Standard Newspaper, Raila offered Ruto two options in the formation of their alliance.
Option one involves William Ruto supporting the ODM leader for a one-term presidency with Mwangi Kiunjuri as Raila’s running mate.
In the arrangement, Ruto should settle for prime minister’s post should the planned constitutional amendment (BBI) sail through.
The two deputy prime ministers slots will be occupied by two senior politicians from Mt Kenya region, in an obvious attempt to woo the vote-rich region.
In the second offer by Raila, Ruto would go for the presidency and Raila settle for the prime minister’s post with Mwangi Kiunjuri remaining as the potential deputy president in both arrangements.
NARC-Kenya leader Martha Karua was also mentioned as potential deputy prime minister with another leader from coastal Kenya.
The meeting between Ruto and Oparanya were confirmed by the governor who letter met Raila on Friday April 9 to brief the veteran opposition leader about the talks.
The developments come as little surprise as both Ruto and Raila camps have been sending messages they could team up before the 2022 General Election.
ODM was the first to say it is working on a coalition that would shake the country and that it has a history of working with perceived enemies, in a coded reference to Wiliam Ruto who fell out with Raila after the 2007 highly controversial election loss to Mwai Kibaki.
“Knowing that partnerships are an essential part of our politics, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is also working on a broader, better, and bolder alliance that will shake the country and shape the politics of the land for years to come,” said ODM through secretary general Edwin Sifuna.
Ruto on the other hand has been open to working with Raila only if the ODM leader would be willing to subscribe to the hustler-narrative whose thrust is a bottoms-up economic model aimed at alleviating poverty.
Raila’s brother Oburu Odinga is also on record saying Raila Odinga would work with Ruto before 2022.
Raila’s former partners in the 2013 and 2017 General Election Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula have ditched him and formed an alliance with Baringo Senator Gideon Moi.
Ruto on the other hand has fallen out of favour with his political partner Uhuru Kenyatta with whom they formed a formidable political force to win the presidency in 2013 and 2017.
Ruto and Raila once formed a strong force, alongside other three politicians, which come second in the highly disputed 2007 General Election.
Both Raila and Ruto unanimously agree that Kalonzo, Wetangula, Mudavadi, and Gideon Moi head tribal political parties which have no national outlook.
