Sakaja backs Mudavadi to succed Ruto
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has backed Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to succeed President William Ruto.
In an interview with Inooro, the county boss also appeared to dismiss suggestions that Mudavadi could contest against President Ruto in 2027.
“Without a shadow of doubt,” explained Sakaja.
“I can, without fear of contradiction, tell you (that) Musalia Mudavadi will not contest for the presidency in 2027. I can report to you that he will be strongly behind president Ruto.”
“But there is a possibility that he might vie in 2032.”
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Sakaja is known to be close to both President Ruto and Mudavadi. He is whispered to be among the few people that brokered the talks that led to Mudavadi dumping Azimio leader Raila Odinga in favour of President Ruto in the run up to the 2022 presidential elections.
While also confirming he intends to defend his Nairobi gubernatorial seat in 2027, Sakaja urged leaders to preach peace and cohesion, while appearing to critic Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s suggestion that appointments in President William Ruto’s government will be done in regard to how communities voted in the 2022 polls.
Gachagua has insisted that he and President Ruto run a ‘shareholders’ governments, and that Kenyans who did not vote for them in 2022 should not expect much in terms of appointments.
“Those founding their future politics on the ground of my tribe, my people, my region will flop. We must build our politics on national cohesion,” said Sakaja.
Mudavadi’s political fortunes appear to be on the rise following his alignment with Ruto.
He was appointed Prime Cabinet Secretary when the Head of State named his first Cabinet. He was then named Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary during a recent Cabinet reshuffle.
In addition, he appears to have the President’s ear and has positioned himself as the Head of State’s right hand man at international engagements.
President Ruto is allowed by law to serve as Head of State for two-five year terms, and Mudavadi has in the past explained that it will be ‘diffucult’ to unseat the Head of State in 2027.
Sakaja’s suggestion that Mudavadi is poised to succeed President Ruto could place him at loggerheads with DP Gachagua, who is also known to harbour amnbition of succeeding his boss even though he is yet to publicly state as much.