It is Raila Vs Ruto in 2022, Duale declares

National Assembly majority leader Aden Duale has claimed the 2022 race to State House will be between two leaders while terming all other presidential aspirants as “jokers”. In his view, Deputy President William Ruto and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga will be the main competitors in the race to State house.

The majority leader who is also the Garissa Township MP was speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Tuesday, August 13, when he said the others were “jokers”who exist in all elections. “I can tell you for free, the next contest in 2022 will be between two people it will be between William Ruto and Raila Odinga, those are the main horses, the rest are just jokers,” he said.

Duale was confident the only candidate for the 2022 presidential election for Jubilee party was Ruto whom he noted will be given a go ahead through party nominations.

He further noted that President Uhuru Kenyatta had no option but to support the candidate who will be chosen by the national delegate conference. Duale who has been an ardent supporter of the deputy president refuted claims he had broken ranks with the DP noting he still was his supporter and that he would never abandon him. “I cannot abandon the deputy president and my deputy party leader,” said the MP.

“I will support the deputy president in 2022. He is not the kind of person you abandon. He is a strong politician,” he later tweeted. Duale also reiterated his sentiment that if the deputy president becomes the next president, he would retire from politics since the country would be in good hands.

His sentiments came days after North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood led a section of Meru politicians in pledging support for Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid.

However, the DP asked the leaders to stop engaging in 2022 politics noting the Jubilee governmen had resolved to end divisive politics and focus on development. He further asked Jubilee leaders to pay attention to the party’s manifesto, whose prime goal is to transform the country through Uhuru’s Big Four agenda.

 “The debt of developing Kenya should be given the prominence that it deserves. We should not be distracted by either the 2022 politics or the proposed review of the Constitution,” said Ruto