Baringo senator Gideon Moi has slowed down his political activities to nurse and take care of his ailing father, retired president Daniel arap Moi, who was readmitted to the Nairobi Hospital on January 12.
The senator, who is in a political contest with deputy president William Ruto for the control of the vast Rift Valley and more so, the Kalenjin votes, was missing in the Building Bridges Initiative sensitisation forums in Kisii and later Kakamega counties. Gideon also missed the official launch of BBI at Bomas of Kenya.
Former President Moi
The son of Kenya’s second president was represented in both events by Kanu secretary general Nick Salat.
In early January, doctors at the Nairobi Hospital were forced to put the former president back on life support machines to resuscitate him.
According to sources, no sooner had the machines been put off than Moi’s condition worsened forcing the doctors to put him on complete life support system at the hospital’s intensive care unit. The machines helped him breathe and clean up his kidneys.
The 95-year-old Moi’s health situation has not been stable since he was rushed to the facility in October last year.
Back to Gideon, Mzee’s favourite son is however, pulling the strings in BBI Rift Valley forays after Uhuru Kenyatta isolated William Ruto and his brigade from the campaigns by picking Elgeyo-Marakwet governor Alex Tolgos to lead the popularisation of the drive in the region. In fact, word has it that Tolgos was picked with the full blessings of Gideon.
Moi and Raila at his Kabarak home
Tolgos, an opponent of Ruto and an ally of Gideon came to the decision to join anti-Ruto camp was due to his poor political relationship with senate majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen, who represents the same county in the senate.
The other leading proponents of the BBI in the region are Kanu secretary general Nick Salat and Cherang’any MP Joshua Kutunny.
In Maasailand, Ruto allies such as Kajiado governor Joseph Ole Lenku have embraced the BBI which is changing the political equation in the region altogether.
Prior to the launch of the BBI report, political realignments were taking shape with Ruto and Gideon fighting for the control of the crucial Maa votes.
Whereas the deputy president was relying on Jubilee leaders in Samburu, Narok and Kajiado to push for his 2022 presidential bid, Gideon eyes Moi family friends since the days of his father in power. One such family is that of Chief Kerionke ole Ntutu.
In the 2017 general election, Ntutu’s son, Patrick ole Ntutu, now chief administrative secretary vied for Narok governorship on Kanu-friendly Chama Cha Mashinani while his elder brother Kitilai ole Ntutu vied for Narok South parliamentary on Moi’s Kanu party though they both lost.
But Ruto has brought on his side Narok senator Ledama Ole Kina. In Nakuru, another Ruto foe, Governor Lee Kinyanjui has taken charge of the BBI campaigns.
Moi and mama Ngina Kenyatta at his Kabarak home
Selling the BBI to Nakuru residents will, however, not be an easy task as a good number of politicians from the area are perceived to be allies of the deputy president and opponents of the initiative.
They include Jayne Kihara (Naivasha), David Gikaria (Nakuru Town East), Moses Cheboi (Kuresoi North), Joseph Tanui (Kuresoi South), Kuria Kimani (Molo), Charity Kathambi (Njoro) and Kimani Ngunjiri (Bahati).
Others are woman representative Liza Chelule and Senator Susan Kihika.
This leaves Kinyanjui with MPs Samuel Arama (Nakuru Town West) and Raymond Moi (Rongai) as the only vocal supporters of BBI while Martha Wangari (Gilgil) and Samuel Gachobe (Subukia) are perceived to be neutrals
