President William Ruto is reportedly making moves to gain political control of the Luo Nyanza region as former Prime Minister Raila Odinga focuses on his bid to become the next African Union (AU) chairperson.
According to reports from the Sunday Standard, sources have revealed that Ruto is assembling a team of loyalists from the region to push his agenda and strengthen his influence ahead of the 2027 general election.
The strategy involves working with former MPs and governors from the region who can help him rally support among the Luo community.
These leaders, some of whom previously worked with Odinga, are expected to be key in shifting the region’s political allegiance towards Ruto.
The president is reportedly banking on the assumption that Raila Odinga’s bid for the AU chairpersonship will sideline him from local politics, leaving a vacuum that Ruto can exploit.
With Odinga unlikely to be a candidate in 2027, Ruto sees an opportunity to make inroads into the region that has historically opposed his leadership.
This political maneuvering comes just days after President Ruto dismissed concerns about his re-election, stating that he is focused on delivering development to Kenyans rather than campaigning for 2027.
However, the reported plans to infiltrate Luo Nyanza tell a different story, indicating that the president is already laying the groundwork for the next election.
His administration has been working to attract opposition strongholds through development promises and government appointments, a tactic aimed at weakening the influence of Raila Odinga and the opposition coalition.
Luo Nyanza has long been a political fortress for Raila Odinga, who has commanded unwavering support from the region for decades.
Attempts by previous governments to penetrate the region politically have largely failed, as the community has remained united behind Odinga.
However, Ruto’s strategy appears to involve using local leaders who can appeal to the people and shift political allegiances gradually.
By co-opting former leaders from the region, Ruto hopes to create internal divisions within Odinga’s traditional support base.
This move could lead to political realignments in the coming months, especially if the leaders Ruto is courting manage to convince a section of the Luo electorate to support his administration.
However, it remains to be seen whether this strategy will work, given the strong historical ties between Raila Odinga and the Luo community.
Many people in the region view Odinga as their political kingpin, and any attempts to replace him with new leaders may face strong resistance.
While Ruto’s allies may argue that the region deserves to be part of government and enjoy development benefits, critics see this as a political ploy to weaken the opposition ahead of 2027.
Some political analysts believe that even if Raila Odinga is not a presidential candidate in the next election, his influence in national politics will remain significant.
The question is whether those being recruited by Ruto will be able to convince the Luo electorate to abandon their long-standing political loyalty.
The battle for Luo Nyanza’s political future is just beginning, and it will be interesting to see how Raila Odinga and his allies respond to these developments.
If he secures the AU chairperson position, his absence from Kenyan politics could create a leadership gap in the region.
However, if he remains active in local politics, he may still be able to counter Ruto’s influence and keep his political base intact.
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