COTU boss Francis Atwoli has been linked to the dirty intrigues that saw a political deal between Deputy President William Ruto and Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi.
Atwoli is said to have been in talks with MPs allied to Mudavadi cautioning them to tread carefully with Ruto power strategy.
To Atwoli, according to a local daily, Ruto is an over-ambitious politician who, knowing what the presidency entails, will not forgo it for Mudavadi for himself to benefit.
According to sources, during Kibaki succession, Uhuru had agreed to step down for Mudavadi but it is the same Ruto who opposed and forced Uhuru to retreat back to the race.
He ended up winning and succeeding Mwai Kibaki, forming the government with Ruto as Mudavadi UDF party he ran on for the presidency was snatched from him, forcing the former vice president to find homage in ANC party, a brainchild of nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi.
Uhuru wanted Mudavadi in his first cabinet but Ruto was against the move, according to our impeccable sources.
Ruto’s fear was that with Mudavadi in the cabinet, he was to overshadow him in Uhuru succession 2022.
Analysts say that Ruto, Mudavadi power struggle started during their days in ODM when then ODM leader and Raila pushed for Mudavadi to be deputy prime in the power-sharing deal with Kibaki in the government of national unity.
Ruto having delivered many votes from Rift Valley Kalenjin land expected to be named deputy PM but instead, he was named Agriculture minister, and then moved to Education ministry before Raila sacked him.
With such a historical background and the fact that the current constitution does not allow Ruto to be deputy president after serving two terms, it is impossible for him to back Mudavadi’s presidential bid.
Instead, they argue that Mudavadi should be Ruto running mate. Another theory has it that Mudavadi power deal with Ruto was bound to complicate events in the DP camp as his followers are out to gain plum political offices and to them, Mudavadi is an outsider.
Reports of the Ruto-Mudavadi alliance started emerging after the ANC leader made political moves where he incessantly attacked Raila triggering speculation he was plotting to team up with the deputy president.
The reports were given credence after one of Ruto’s vocal supporters, Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, stated that most leaders in Western region allied to the DP had no problem accommodating Mudavadi.
But the mooted alliance came to the public limelight when Ruto secretly met MPs allied to Mudavadi and Wetang’ula at his Karen residence before he proceeded to State House to attend Madaraka Day celebrations.
Ruto’s meeting came four days after Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali had hosted 32 MCAs drawn from four counties in Western Kenya where he told them to be friends with Mudavadi because he was in talks with the DP for a possible pact ahead of the 2022 elections.
