Deputy President Willliam Ruto forgot to introduce Amani National Congress (ANC) leader, Musalia Mudavadi, raising questions on their political union.
Ruto was accompanied by Mudavadi and Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetangula, as well as MPs allied to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party to a rally in Kapsokwony in Bungoma County.
The DP gave a chance to the leaders to speak after he had extensively sold his bottom-up political ideology, as has been the case in all UDA rallies.
However, he proceeded to wrap up the rally after Wetangula had spoken, only to be prompted by the cheering crowd that Mudavadi was yet to address them.
In the background, Wetangula, who had just spoken, also gestured to the DP in Musalia’s direction.
The DP then introduced the former Vice President who was tucked on one side of the packed roadside crowd.
Mudavadi rose to speak, popularising his earthquake slogan while pledging loyalty to the newly formed alliance. He also slammed former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for being a “government project”.
Ruto and his allies were in a one-day joint rally for the ANC, Ford Kenya and UDA parties, for the second time after holding a joint campaign in Nakuru. The three party leaders are angling for a Kenya Kwanza coalition.
During the rally in Bungoma, Wetangula and Ruto also endorsed Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka for the Bungoma gubernatorial race. Lusaka was deposed by incumbent governor Wycliffe Wangamati in 2017.
Mudavadi, Ruto and Wetangula are set to tour Murang'a County where pundits expect them to disclose finer details of their union. Local area leaders, however, want the DP to pick a running mate from the Mt Kenya region.
The region is the centre of the political battle between Ruto and Raila, who is also said to be willing to settle for one of its political leaders as a running mate.
Raila is set to visit Nyeri to drum up support for his Azimio la Umoja movement, a week after camping in Murang'a County.
Meanwhile, One Kenya Alliance (OKA) co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka, Gideon Moi and Cyrus Jirongo, have maintained that the coalition is stronger and shall be on the ballot on August 9.
Former Justice Minister Martha Karua joined OKA after Mudavadi and Wetangula deserted the coalition for a union with Ruto's UDA. OKA criticised the move, but are yet to announce whether it will support Raila, the DP or field a presidential candidate of its own choice.
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