2027: How regions that made Ruto president are now his biggest test
By Juliet Omelo · The Standard Politics
In 2022 President William Ruto defied the political might of the 'handshake' establishment and crafted a coalition that cut across regional and ethnic voting blocs to secure Kenya's presidency.
President William Ruto and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki address a past rally. [File, Standard]
In August 2022, President William Ruto achieved what many political observers had considered improbable. Defying the political might of the 'handshake' establishment, surviving an intense campaign led by then-President Uhuru Kenyatta against his candidature and overturning decades of conventional political arithmetic, Ruto crafted a coalition that cut across regional and ethnic voting blocs to secure Kenya's presidency. His victory was not built solely on the unwavering support of the Rift Valley. It rested on a broader political alliance that stretched into Mt Kenya, penetrated Western Kenya and made inroads in parts of Eastern Kenya while limiting his losses in regions traditionally considered opposition strongholds.