President William Ruto’s prospects in Ukambani for the 2027 general election may face severe challenges as his influence in the lower Eastern area dwindles following the loss of important political allies.
Once close friend of Ruto, former Machakos Town MP Victor Munyaka has suddenly turned his back on President William Ruto together with his new found friend Raila Odinga and started to be one of toughest detractors of the Head of State in the region.
ODM leader Raila Odinga has been charged by Dr. Munyaka for exploiting the Kamba people and then ignoring them whenever he finds a chance to join the government of the day.
Despite the region’s strong support for Raila’s party, Dr Munyaka laments that it did not benefit from President Ruto’s recent senior government reshuffle that saw Raila Odinga’s ODM harvest many cabinet positions.
“As a community, we must redefine our space in national politics. Raila is the greatest political conman in Kenya who, even after using the community for 15 years, abandoned it to team up with Ruto, dishing out all the available Principal Secretary positions, excluding the Kambas,” Dr Munyaka said.
Claiming he is self-serving and does not really value their support, Munyaka has urged the Kamba people to reconsider their allegiance to Raila.
The former legislator argued that there was no valid reason for Raila to overlook qualified members of the Kamba community, who support the ODM ideology, in the recent appointments.
“There are many professionals and qualified individuals from Ukambani who have supported Raila for years, but he chose to overlook them in the latest appointments. This sends a clear message from both Raila and Ruto that the Ukambani region does not factor into their political calculations,” Munyaka told The Sunday Standard.
Political experts have called the soft-spoken but powerful politician’s action a strategic masterstroke that might impede Ruto’s attempts to win support in Ukambani ahead of the 2027 general election.
The few local MPs who support President Ruto and his government remain politically exposed as Kalonzo’s wave is projected to rule the area beginning next year.
