This archive report was first published on 5 August 2019.
On July 12, 2018, a tense scene unfolded at a homecoming party for Matuga MP Kassim Tandaza in the Coast region. The event, attended by NASA principal Musalia Mudavadi, turned sour when Lamu East MP Shariff Alwy and Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo openly declared their support for DP William Ruto's 2022 presidential bid.
Alwy and Mbogo's statement, which implied that Ruto would be their candidate in 2022, did not sit well with the crowd. The gathering began to heckle and shout in protest, with some attendees marching towards the dais to eject Mbogo.
As the situation escalated, Mbogo claimed that he would name his unborn baby after Ruto, prompting him to cut short his speech and retreat to safety. 'I have a wife and she is pregnant. I'm just waiting for the baby to be born and the baby is Mr Ruto,' Mbogo declared amidst the chaos.
Not everyone at the event was pleased with the pro-Ruto camp. Changamwe MP Omar Mwinyi criticized them for being 'fooled by a few kilometers of roads' and urged them to focus on the region's more pressing problems.
Mr. Ruto has been attempting to make inroads in the Coast region, which is perceived to be an opposition stronghold. Several MPs from the region have endorsed his 2022 bid.
