Cut throat rivalry
as Ruto visit nears
By Daniel Nzia
Chief Anchor Correspondent
United Democratic Alliance Organizing Secretary Vincent Musyoka Kawaya and CS Dr Alfred Mutua are enduring nights of long knives ahead of Dr. William Ruto’s first visit as President.
The leaders are organising the Ruto visit on competing terms as Kawaya asserts his position as the ruling party's most senior politician not just in Machakos but the entire Ukambani.
He has been consulting with the County Commissioner and County Government functionaries and has been seen on several occasions inspecting Kenyatta Stadium, where an interdenominational prayer meeting is planned coming Sunday.
Dr. Mutua has also engaged himself. He began by summoning Ukambani professionals to appear to be setting an agenda for the region. Thrice now, the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs CS has held follow up meetings with a frequency that underlines the urgency to be a build up to the Ruto meeting.
At the heart of rivalry is the fact that much as Dr. Ruto is leader of the Kenya Kwanza coalition, he and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua are the leaders of UDA. Kawaya therefore is asserting his legitimacy as among leaders who stood with Ruto in Ukambani while Dr Mutua stood wavering on where to cast his lot.
Kawaya is working closely with CAS Dr Victor Munyaka,formers Mbooni MP Kisoi Munyao and other local Ruto diehards.
In the battle for supremacy each of the two factions is fighting to catch not just the eye and ears of the Head of State but to capture his heart.
It is no secret that Kawaya has stuck with President Ruto for the longest time and so is the former Machakos Town MP Dr Munyaka.
Though the Mwala MP is playing smart in the rivalry saying there is no competition in planning the event, it his his assertion thar he is doing this as the party national Organizing Secretary that depicts the other group as none entities.
Not quite missing in action is former UDA Chairman Johnson Muthama who is not complementing either side. But he's has also put up his poster, placing himself higher in the leadership hierarchy after Ruto and Gachagua with the other leaders below him.
Kawaya has released a poster that bears President Ruto’s, Gachagwa's and his picture with prominence- including Dr. Mutua and CS Penina Malonza and other Ruto allied leaders.
Moreover, there was also a picture of Kawaya, Munyaka, PSs Veronica Nduva Jonathan Mueke and David Musila in a planning session with Gachagua- signals that speak louder than words
Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has offered support in the event.
Kawaya's side is backed by members of different church denominations Other in this group include James Mbaluka, former MP Joe Mutambu and a UDA politician Fred Muteti among others.
Dr Mutua quest "on where Ukambani is going" is cast in visionary terms but observers see it as a ploy of having an identifiable stake for the Sunday prayers.
This week, he posted on his Facebook page "We welcome the forthcoming tour of the region by President William Ruto and believe that we will reap huge benefits as we focus on development"
