Mathira Member of Parliament Rigathi Gachagua has hinted Raila Odinga’s deputy party leader and Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya is on the verge of ditching Baba’s party for the Deputy president’s hustler movement.
According to the legislator, the ODM deputy party leader has held several meetings with Ruto since 2019 requesting the DP to allow him to join this team.
“Oparanya approached us in 2019 and 2020, saying he wanted to join the hustler nation due to the pressure from his supporters,’’ Gachagua said.
Kivumbi.co.ke earlier reported that Oparanya met Ruto to discuss a possible alliance between the deputy president and ODM.
Gachagua, who is a Ruto diehard ally, however, rubbished claims the 9-hour meeting between Ruto and Oparanya was aimed at forming an alliance between Raila and Ruto.
It is alleged that Ruto has met Oparanya four time with the fourth meeting being much publicized.
Oparanya is serving his final term as a governor and rumour has it he would be looking to vie for a parliamentary seat or join a political formation that shall make him a relevant post after the 2022 General Election.
With Mudavadi and Wetang’ula being perceived as Western kingpins, Oparanya could be shopping a political formation would elevate his political profile.
Ruto on the other hand is on the hunt to tap someone like Oparanya, considered a senior Luhya politician, in an effort to get a slice of the mulembe votes in 2022.
This comes at a time political parties are forming coalitions and alliances in a restructuring plan ahead of the next year’s general election.
