Jubilee party leaders have urged Deputy President William Ruto to be cautious as the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga takes effect.
Nandi Governor Stephen Sang and Senator Samson Cherargey warned of an alleged scheme between Baringo Senator Gideon Moi and the former PM to block DP Ruto's 2022 presidency bid.
The leaders challenged Senator Moi to drop his declared presidential bid in 2022 in favour of the DP because the Rift Valley region had already settled for Ruto as its preferred candidate.
Governor Sang claimed that leaders from the region had rejected Senator Moi due to his poor performance record.
[caption caption="Nandi Governor Stephen Sang"]
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"We have rejected Gideon because he is a non-performer, and not because he is the son of former President Daniel Moi," the governor stated.
The leaders spoke on Sunday during an interdenominational service held at the Moi Kapsowar Girls’ High School in Elgeyo Marakwet County where they had accompanied the deputy president.
Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen further hit out at Opposition leaders claiming that they were taking advantage of the handshake to "push their political agenda".
"The handshake is being used for a political agenda.
"If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is a duck. Mr Odinga is telling us that the recent handshake is for the unity of this country, while in political rallies he is talking about 2022 politics. This means he is not sincere on this matter," Senator Murkomen claimed.
The Elgeyo Marakwet senator claimed that Siaya Senator James Orengo's sentiment that Mr Odinga would be ODM's presidential candidate in 2022 was a clear pointer that "NASA leader’s intentions are suspect".
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria added: "We are ready and prepared to face Mr Odinga in 2022. Now that Mr Orengo has told us that their candidate will be on the ballot in 2022, we now know that the ongoing handshakes are about the future of Mr Odinga."
[caption caption="DP Ruto with Senator Murkomen and Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka in Elgeyo Marakwet county for interdenominational prayers on May 6, 2018"]
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