DP Ruto's dilemma amidst reports of fallout with Uhuru over fight against corruption and jostling for space with Raila

Kenya’s political scene is rapidly evolving with Deputy President William Ruto finding himself between a rock and a hard place, running into new obstacles that are threatening to scuttle his 2022 dream of succeeding President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Ruto who is increasingly cutting out the image of an isolated man with the ongoing purge against graft placing him on a collision path with President Kenyatta and with the two reading from ifferent scripts.

Among the dilemmas facing the DP is fighting for his space after the handshake between the Uhuru and Raila that saw the latter take center stage in affairs of the nation despite not being actively in government.

File image of President Uhuru Kenyatta with DP Ruto Pulse Live Kenya

Resigning and walking out of government is yet another dilemma facing the DP amidst reports of a fallout within Jubilee sparked by the ongoing fight against corruption that has seen DP Ruto’s allies cry foul.

Walking out of government could see the DP lose out on the populous Mount Kenya vote block that he was almost sure to inherit in 2017 before the dynamics shifted with dissenting voices emerging.

In the run up to the 2017 elections, President Kenyatta told his supporters in the region to support him for his final term after which he would back Ruto.

Pundits opine that DP Ruto has decided to take matters into his own hands, becoming more brutal and shooting straight at his real and perceived foes as the war on corruption gains momentum.

In recent days, the DP has engaged in several public outbursts with most of them aimed at opposition leader who he accuses of having ill motives and using the handshake to wreck Jubilee.

Uhuru-Ruto clash as fight against corruption threatens to tear Jubilee apart

Already, a section of politicians allied to the Jubilee party have expressed fears that the party may split, an indication that not all is well in the party.

Friday saw President Kenyatta issue a firm commitment to fight corruption, making it clear that nobody -- not even his “closest political ally” -- would stand in the way of the anti-graft fight.

The President’s no-holds barred offensive was documented and shared both on print, online and audio which went viral.

A day earlier, in one of the clearest indications that all was not well in the Jubilee camp, Ruto expressly described the ongoing purge as selective, lacking integrity, fought on convenient half-truths and with political outcomes in mind.

In a recent interview with Nation, veteran politician Maina Kamanda confirmed his fears stating: “I don’t expect we shall be intact. You may find some want to go their separate ways then we will also be joining other people. That is how politics are. There is no permanent enmity in politics.”

DP Ruto’s allies dare Uhuru to back Raila, claim he does not want to back DP Ruto

A section of his closest political allies have in recent days alleged that President Kenyatta is not keen on supporting the DP and dared him to make his choice for 2022 known.

DP Ruto, Kipchumba Murkomen, Oscar Sudi and other leaders Pulse Live Kenya

Speaking in Eldoret on 09 March 2019, a team of DP’s allies led by Kangogo Bowen (Marakwet East MP), William Kisang (Marakwet West) claimed that President Kenyatta has shown that he does not want to support DP Ruto to succeed him in 2022 and dared him to back Raila Odinga or anyone else.

"This is politics and we won't entertain tricks. If Uhuru does not want Ruto, let him not sacrifice Kalenjins. Let him engage Ruto on his own," Bowen stated.