Nairobi News

Kalonzo Musyoka says he is ‘not afraid’ to square up with Deputy President William Ruto for the presidency.

Ruto succeeded Musyoka as the country’s second in command in 2013 and is, alongside opposition leader Raila Odinga, considered favourites to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta whose term of office expires in 2022.

But then Kalonzo who’s reportedly fallen out with Odinga after deputizing him during the 2013 and 2017 polls, has also ‘wondered’ why people appear to ‘fear’ Ruto.

“The only thing that I look forward to is being given an opportunity to fight it out with William Ruto. I don’t know why people are scared of him,” declared Kalonzo during an interview on K24 TV.

Ruto has attracted large crowds at his recent public engagements.

He is perhaps the leader with the most elected politicians publicly campaigning for him, defending him against a number of allegations including corruption, and even blasting President Kenyatta while appearing to hold brief for him. This, alongside his perceived deep pockets, appear to hand the DP a head start ahead of the polls, despite the fact that he has politically fallen out with the Head of State.

At the same time, Kalonzo and Ruto have recently traded accusations, with the DP challenging his predecessor to account for the huge tract of land he owns in his home county.

But Kalonzo, who was cleared by the authorities on the same, maintains the DP is corrupt.

After teaming up with fellow politicians Musalia Mudavadi, Gideon Moi, and Moses Wetangula to form the One Kenya Alliance (OKA), Kalonzo is vouching for spearheading a 24-hour economy in Kenya if elected the next president.

Besides Kalonzo, Mudavadi, Moi, Ruto, and Odinga, Mombasa governor Hassan Joho, his Kakamega counterpart Wycliffe Oparanya, businessman Jimi Wanjigi, and National Assembly speaker Justin Muturi have also declared interest in the presidency.