Nairobi News

Looks can be deceiving.

But in this case, Musalia Mudavadi appears to have Deputy President William Ruto’s ear, and even, perhaps, the running mate position.

That’s if the sitting arrangement at Wednesday’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) delegates conference in Nairobi is anything to go by.

The UDA conference at Kasarani was attended by close to 5000 delegates and used as the platform to endorse Ruto as the presidential candidate ahead of the August 2022 polls.

At the event, Mudavadi, who alongside Wetangula recently teamed up with the DP after breaking ranks with President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga, was seated on Ruto’s right-hand side.

From this position, the former vice-president was accorded the opportunity to regularly consult with the DP for the entirety of the event.

In contrast, Rigathi Gachagua, who’s also been mentioned as a possible running mate of the Deputy President, sat on the far left of his boss, with the DP’s wife Rachel Ruto in between.

Thus, Gachagua could not access his boss for consultation in a move, whether by design or default, indicates  – at least politically speaking – that Mudavadi appears to have more favour, for now.

This observation comes after weeks of bickering between the UDA and ANC ranks.

It started when Gachagua, who was left behind when Ruto and Mudavadi recently toured the United States of America (USA) and United Kingdom (UK), explained in a television interview that Mudavadi ‘was aware’ the running mate’s position in the Deputy President’s set up was reserved for Central Kenya.

The comment was criticized by Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC) through party secretary Simon Kamau.

Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala would offer a rebuttal at the weekend, claiming Mudavadi was going for nothing short of the Deputy President.

But Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata has since emphasized that Ruto will select his running mate from the ‘mountain’.

Other mentioned as possible Ruto running mates are Anne Waiguru and Kithure Kindiki.