On Wednesday, January 7, Kenyan newspapers reported on the politics of the day, highlighting the deal between President William Ruto and KANU chairman Gideon Moi.
Source: UGC
1. Nation Today
The newspaper highlighted the apparent difference between the President William Ruto and KANU chairman Gideon Moi several months after their talks ended their political enmity.
As Ruto continues to consolidate his power ahead of the 2027 elections, whispers of betrayal have begun to be heard within KANU, raising new questions about the fate of the political accord that was expected to restore the Moi family to the center of national power.
The silence in the State House, the lack of appointment of government positions, and the growing tension within KANU has raised the debate on whether the political agreement between Ruto and Gideon will be fully implemented or if it has already broken down quietly due to unfulfilled expectations.
What was touted as a strategy to restore KANU to government is now shrouded in uncertainty.
Just three months after Ruto visited Kabarak, where the political legacy of the Moi family is enshrined, doubts are mounting as to whether the agreement is still alive or has already broken down.
In addition to public expressions of solidarity, there are signs of anger within KANU, with senior party officials accusing Ruto of failing to fulfill promises that made Gideon abandon his bid to run for the Baringo senate seat.
“The president lied to us. There was no written agreement, but the president promised to bring us into the government and give us a chance. Our leader is not happy,” a senior KANU official told Taifa Today.
According to the official, Gideon deliberately chose a mutual trust agreement and did not insist on writing it.
“Gideon decided to trust Ruto with his promises and even invited him to talk to party members. There is no implementation now. There is no indication that anything will happen soon,” he added.
The statement highlights growing concerns within KANU, a party which felt it had reached a serious political agreement following high-level talks between Ruto and its chairman in October last year.
The most visible result of the agreement was Gideon’s sudden withdrawal from the Baringo County senate by-election, a move that surprised both his supporters and opponents.
2. Daily Nation
The newspaper avoided turmoil within the ODM Board of Trustees, which had to intervene to save the 20-year-old party from collapsing.
The move was caused by the fear that the current crisis could break the party, just three months after the death of its leader, Raila Odinga.
The move has also given more time to the Nairobi senator and ODM secretary general, Edwin Sifuna, who is facing expulsion from the party.
The trustees, appointed by the late Raila, are responsible for ensuring the stability and overall management of the party, especially during leadership changes like the one it is currently facing.
Before the board took action, Sifuna was being pressured by some members to resign.
They accused him of collaborating with ‘enemies of the party,’ saying the act was tantamount to treason and deserved expulsion.
On his part, Sifuna, who is also the ODM spokesperson, claimed that some members are driven by personal interests and are trying to “sell” ODM in the name of supporting Ruto’s bid for a second term.
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He emphasized that Raila never said ODM would support the move.
However, a high-level meeting involving influential people inside and outside the party, including Raila’s widow, Ida Odinga, overturned the drive to oust Sifuna.
A source close to the issue said that the efforts did not have the blessing of party leaders.
Several sources revealed that the move to strip Sifuna of all his parliamentary positions and expel him from ODM surprised senior officials of the party.
The Board of Trustees has scheduled a meeting with all key players to address the issue.
Among those expected to attend the meeting are ODM leader and Siaya Senator, Oburu Oginga; national treasurer Timothy Bosire; Former Attorney General and former Busia senator, Amos Wako; deputy general secretary Agnes Zani, and the party’s Director of Finance and Administration, Joshua Kawino. Party insiders also feared that the request, submitted without thorough consultation, would cause a major rift within ODM and weaken its ability to negotiate politically before the 2027 elections.
There were also concerns that Western Kenya, an important region for ODM, would be affected if his “son”, Sifuna, was expelled or removed from power.
Migori Senator Eddy Oketch had officially requested that Sifuna be expelled from ODM and the position he holds in the Senate but later withdrew the action, citing consultation with the party leadership.
3. The Star
The Star newspaper reported the former vice president’s typos Rigathi Gachagua.
Gachagua has found himself in the middle of a political storm, following a series of controversial statements and actions that have caused widespread opposition.
He recently faced criticism after suggesting that prestigious national schools in the Mt Kenya region, including Alliance and Mang’u, should give priority to local students.
The statement has strengthened the accusations of tribalism and intensified his efforts to portray himself as a national opposition figure.
The leader of the Democratic Party for the People (DCP) was previously removed from power on controversial claims that the communities that did not vote for his coalition did not deserve an equal share of national resources.
Just two months ago, he caused outrage by claiming that important positions in Nairobi were reserved for his party.
In Mount Kenya, Gachagua is involved in a heated dispute with Githunguri Member of Parliament Gathoni Wamuchomba, who accuses him of threats, hatred against women, and coercive politics aimed at forcing leaders to join his DCP group.
Wamuchomba, who was previously his ally when he was removed from power, now claims that he is using insults and pressure to silence opponents.
He has also questioned his relationship with the DCP, saying he has no official stake in the party and that presenting it as a regional body undermines political pluralism.
His criticism intensified after Lamu’s women’s representative, Monica Muthoni, was kicked out of a funeral in Murang’a for supporting the narrative of a two-term presidency.
Wamuchomba accused Gachagua of failing to condemn the attacks and identify his insults to other women leaders, including the Governor of Kirinyaga, Anne Waiguru, Susan Kihika of Nakuru, and Cecily Mbarire of Embu.
Declaring that “the antidote to the poison of Gachagua’s words is women,” he vowed to oppose his tactics.
Beyond Mt. Kenya, Gachagua has also been condemned by the Somali community for his remarks linking them to allegations of fraud in Minnesota and his call for the United States to intervene in Kenya’s internal affairs.
The governor of Wajir, Ahmed Abdullahi, reprimanded him, saying he had taken “Somali Discrimination to an unacceptable level,” adding; “The American government can easily find out and identify where the lost money was invested. The owner of BBS Mall has been a serious businessman in this country before President William Ruto came to power.”
4. The Standard
The newspaper reported on the Jubilee Party’s response to the attacks made against the former president Uhuru Kenyatta and some ODM party leaders and government officials.
The party’s presidential candidate, Fred Matiang’i, defended Uhuru following criticism of his recent remarks.
Addressing journalists in Nairobi after presiding over the first Jubilee conference of the year, Matiang’i expressed concern that government officials seem restless whenever Kenyatta speaks, questioning why his remarks always provoke violence.
Matiang’i, who served as a Cabinet Minister under Uhuru’s administration, insisted that retirement does not deprive the former president of his right to participate in the national dialogue.
“Our party leader, despite his retirement, has the right to participate and take part in national affairs. We ask his colleagues in the national leadership to stop attacking him and dragging him into meaningless matters. They have a lot of work to do,” he said.
He further suggested that Kenyatta’s continued presence in politics seems to have angered some people within the government.
Meanwhile, Matiang’i dismissed allegations that Jubilee is planning to weaken ODM to strengthen its alliance ahead of the 2027 elections.
He insisted that Jubilee continue to commit to democratic principles and live in peace.
“We are a party of peace. We wish all other political parties well. We do not fight with anyone, and we do not want conflicts. We firmly believe in multi-party democracy,” Matiang’i confirmed.
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