Tension is brewing in the Jubilee Party following a private meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his political mentor, retired Head of State Daniel Moi.
New revelations now indicate that the Jubilee faction allied to Deputy President William Ruto is not pleased with what apparently transpired during the private meeting held at Mzee Moi’s Kabarnet Home in Nairobi that was also attended by the retired President’s son Gideon Moi.
DP Ruto allies were apparently kept in the dark about the meeting where the KANU Party, Mzee Moi and Uhuru allegedly got into a secret deal ahead of the upcoming August Elections.
The Nation reports that there was an agreement that could see Mr Kenyatta share some Cabinet slots and plum parastatal jobs with the cockerel party if he is re-elected.
Following the Uhuru-Moi meeting, Jubilee could also forego the Baringo senatorial contest in favour of the incumbent, Gideon Moi, who plans to run for the presidency, in 2022 – ambitions also held by DP Ruto.
In reaction to the said deal, Ruto’s confidante and Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said the agreement, “is merely the wishes of those who fear competition. We have a very strong and competent Jubilee Senate candidate in Baringo and we are confident to clinch the seat.
“Those who want to stand any chance should not wait for a back door. I don’t need any favour in Elgeyo-Marakwet except the support of my people,” Murkomen, who is also facing a strong challenge from KANU’s David Kimaiyo said.
The retired president and Kenyatta are said to have further agreed that KANU would on Tuesday convene a special National Executive Committee meeting to officially declare support for Uhuru's re-election.
“The NEC will take a position on who between Jubilee and Nasa we will support for the presidency,” KANU Secretary-General Nick Salat said, confirming the Tuesday meeting.
Mzee Moi is said to have rooted for a closer working relationship between Mr Kenyatta and his son Gideon, who has been wrangling with DP Ruto over control of the vote-rich Rift Valley region.
The new unfolding could steepen the political terrain for Uhuru considering he needs to maintain a good relationship with DP Ruto who has the backing of the Rift Valley voting bloc.
It remains to be seen how President Kenyatta will go about the delicate balancing act of not betraying his deputy and at the same time fulfilling the political interests of his political mentor, Mzee Moi.
