Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga are headed for another major clash in two by-elections in Western that will test their might in possible 2022 test runs.
It has also emerged that Ruto is assembling his own political machine and could again sponsor non-Jubilee candidates for the polls.
Buoyed by a decisive victory in Msambweni, Ruto's so-called hustler nation is now determined to test Raila's grip in Western Kenya in by-elections in Matungu and Kabuchai.
Ruto backed the victorious independent candidate in Msambweni Feisal Bader.
The Matungu by-election has been set for March 4 next year to replace MP Justus Murunga who died.
The IEBC is yet to schedule the Kabuchai parliamentary contest.
Murunga was elected on Musalia Mudavadi's ANC ticket but was openly hobnobbing with Ruto's allies.
To launch his elaborate plan to capture Western, the Star has established the DP will be in Kakamega county on Friday, hosted by Malava MP Malulu Injendi.
Injendi is making a comeback to Tangatanga after a short stint with Raila's camp.
On Saturday, Ruto will attend the burial of Kabuchai MP James Lusweti of Ford Kenya in a significant ceremony likely to be marked by high political temperatures.
The upcoming by-elections will provide a platform for Ruto to consolidate his gains in Western, which is home to Mudavadi and Ford Kenya boss Moses Wetang'ula.
The two have been overshadowed by Raila who has most of the MPs from the region.
To deliver the two seats, Ruto will bank on key allies from Western, including former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali, Didmas Barasa (Kimilili) and a host of Tangatanga politicians.
Western, like the Coast, has been on Ruto's radar for years and he has made several trips to the region, hosting church harambees and launching government projects.
Khalwale told the Star the hustler nation - was “dusting their lab coats” for another gruelling contest.
“Overconfidence is not the trademark of the hustler nation movement. Ours is humility and engaging with the people. We will work with the candidate the people of Matungu gives us,” Khalwale said.
The vocal ex-lawmaker was a pillar of the hustler campaign team that includes former Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama and snatched the Msambweni parliamentary seat from ODM.
Former Sports CS Rashid Echesa told the Star the DP's troops are rolling up their sleeves to confront any challenge in Western ahead of the polls.
“We are prepared and ready to roll out campaigns. Politics is now shifting and becoming people-centred. Whoever William [Ruto] will endorse will be our candidates,” Echesa said. He is a former ODM national youth leader.
Echesa, who was pushed out of the Cabinet in March last year, warned Ruto's rivals to prepare for a bruising battle. He said Western has already embraced the hustler nation.
There are indications the Ruto candidates could be sponsored by non-Jubilee Party outfits.
The DP and his lieutenants sponsored Esther Kamau of the People’s Empowerment Party for the Gaturi ward by-elections in Murang'a.
They also sponsored Simon Wanyoike of the New Young Democrats Party for Lakeview ward in Nakuru.
The two won by comfortable margins. Ruto's team now says the DP can survive without Jubilee following what they say are months of humiliation by some party officials.
The DP is also said to be planning to field a Senate candidate in Machakos county following the death of Boniface Kabaka as part of a plan to penetrate Ukambani.
Ruto's barreling hustler nation train will then encounter rivals in at least six ward by-elections in Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Makueni and Kisii counties.
On Thursday morning at his Karen office, Ruto hosted People's Democratic Party and former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara who led a delegation from Kisii. They discussed Ruto's efforts to consolidate the region.
“We have a duty as leaders to cooperate, unite Kenyans and direct our resources, energy and time at transforming our country rather than establishing factions and engaging in ethnic-based politics,” Ruto told the delegation.
"Let us compete on the platform of issues, ideas and development track records that will make Kenya an equal opportunity for all," the DP tweeted.
In the clearest indication yet that Raila was raring for a fight to protect one of his loyal territories, the ODM National Elections Board on Thursday called for applications from aspirants.
“The NEB hereby gives notice to all interested ODM party applications [for by-elections] in the areas that applications be submitted in the prescribed form to the party headquarters at Chungwa House by end of day Monday 21 December 2020,” the notice to party members read.
The Jubilee Central Management Committee, controlled by allies of President Uhuru Kenyatta, on Friday is expected to make an announcement on whether it will field a candidate in Matungu constituency.
“We are doing consultations this afternoon (Thursday), then we will announce the way forward,” Jubilee secretary general Raphael Tuju said.
The panel is already reeling from the shocker of Ruto's surprise win in Msambweni through Bader. He won decisively despite Jubilee pulling out of the poll in favour of ODM's Omar Boga.
The by-elections in Western will also be an acid test for Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya after the bitter Msambweni loss by his Mombasa counterpart, Hassan Joho. The Mombasa governor is an ODM deputy party leader. So is Oparanya.
Joho has been accused by some ODM insiders of running a chest-thumbing, roughshod campaign that cost the party the Msambweni seat.
Ruto's allies insist the DP must sponsor a candidate in the two by-elections to send a clear message to his adversaries in Jubilee that he is ready to chart his own political destiny.
Political analysts say the DP is keen on building his hustler nation network across the country to propel his 2022 presidential campaigns while using the by-elections as test runs.
The DP's allies have described the Msambweni win as a major breakthrough by Ruto after months of humiliation and attempted intimidation by top Jubilee Secretariat leaders who had boxed him out of power.
On Thursday, Barasa said Ruto will employ the same strategy deployed in Msambweni in the by-elections, warning that Raila will be in for another rude shock.
“The two late leaders (Murunga and Lusweti) were dedicated members of the hustler movement and I know their spirit is with us," Barasa said.
He blasted ODM for relying on old tactics to campaigns in the modern Kenya while expecting different results.
“The strategy he used in NDP, LDP and ODM are the same. You cannot win the election with the same strategy. Kenyans have moved on, it is no longer about liberation credentials,” he said in a swipe at Raila.
Washiali said the DP's allies are no no longer interested in fielding their candidates in Western through the Jubilee Party, saying it has been captured by external forces.
“We are no longer interested in the Jubilee Party. If they want to field a candidate, that's well and good. For now, we want to listen to the voice of the hustlers. Jubilee has been mismanaged and is no longer living up to its founding tenets,” Washiali said.
However, Lugari MP Ayub Savula said the Matungu race is do or die for Mudavadi, saying the ANC has already identified a candidate whowill be introduced soon.
The ANC deputy party leader told the Star that they will mobilise resources and mount a strong campaign to recapture the seat.
“It was an ANC seat and we will go the extra mile to recapture it. What happened in Msambweni is different. The winner there is a former personal assistant to the late MP,” Savula said.
(Edited by V. Graham)