Siaya Senator James Orengo on Tuesday, March 9, weighed in on the recent talks about the possibility of ODM Leader Raila Odinga working together with Deputy President William Ruto in 2022.
The ODM political strategist said in no uncertain terms that working with Ruto as a political ally at this point in time would only derail their aspirations - even if there were frustrations coming from Jubilee.
The Senate Minority Leader told NTV in an interview that Ruto and Raila did not agree on a wide range of issues, and which would make an alliance untenable.
"Looking at basic issues like BBI, corruption, abiding by the constitution of the country, there is some kind of semblance. But I don't think there are any principles that can get us to work together," Orengo added.
Speaking to kenyans.co.ke, political analyst Herman Manyora said that politicians changing tactics and forming coalitions is part of the basic politics, which cannot be ignored just from the face value.
"If it is in the interest of ODM to get power, and they realise that only a rotation with Ruto will guarantee that, they will get that power, they will go for it," Manyora said.
Manyora also added that politics is run by personal interests and that leaders are bound to do whatever it takes provided they are set to benefit.
The relationship between the Deputy President and Odinga took a wild turn when former prime minister and the president formed the handshake after the disputed 2017 general elections.
Ruto has on many occasions blamed the failure of the Jubilee party to deliver on its promises on Raila joining the government.
“You came and changed the Government’s priorities from the Big Four Agenda to alternative ones like the Building Bridges Initiative. Now, after you have failed miserably, you want to run away,” Ruto said when Mandera County Members of County Assembly visited him at his Karen residence.
Raila responded by calling out Ruto for running away from his responsibilities and failing to honour their promises, which they had made to Kenyans when campaigning before the 2017 elections.
"They said children will have laptops. He has forgotten that and now he is giving out handcarts and wheelbarrows. Where are the jobs, state-of-the-art stadia?” Raila said after meeting Kikuyu Councils of Elders.
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, on February 23, said that Raila and Ruto are likely to form a coalition before the 2022 general elections, terming Raila as insightful in matters of Kenya's national politics.
"He has a hand at the pulse of the nation and he knows that Ruto has got a wider fanbase so the logical thing for him is to tell Ruto to allow him to work together for him to give him the wisdom and ideologies just like it was in the grand coalition with Kibaki," Kuria opined.
