This archive report was first published on 13 June 2020.
Deputy President William Ruto has indicated his willingness to support Musalia Mudavadi's 2022 presidential bid, a move that could significantly boost Mudavadi's chances in the election.
According to the Amani National Congress (ANC) party, Ruto's support is crucial in the upcoming presidential contest, which is expected to be between Mudavadi and Raila Odinga.
ANC secretary-general Barrack Muluka confirmed that Ruto has expressed his willingness to support Mudavadi, both personally and by helping him secure more votes.
However, not everyone is convinced that Mudavadi's strategy of reaching out to all major political players is the right approach. Political analyst Prof Amukowa Anangwe argues that Mudavadi's strategy is in line with his goal of relating with all major rivals to craft a coalition arrangement for his presidential bid.
On the other hand, University of Nairobi lecturer Richard Bosire believes that Mudavadi's approach is a sign of indecisiveness and confusion. 'A good and calculative leader is one who makes up his mind on a given direction and deals with the consequences, not one who studies situations to the last minute,' Bosire said.
Despite the mixed reactions, Mudavadi remains optimistic about his chances. 'I neither harbour political animosity and revenge towards anyone, nor spend every moment scheming against another Kenyan,' he said.
