Details of Ruto, Moi State House Meeting

President William Ruto’s meeting with KANU Chairman Gideon Moi at State House on Wednesday has emerged as a carefully orchestrated political negotiation that saw the veteran politician abandon his bid for the Baringo Senate seat in exchange for protection of his family’s struggling business empire.

The dramatic turn of events left hundreds of KANU supporters stranded outside the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission offices in Kabarnet on Thursday, waiting in vain for their party leader to submit his nomination papers before the 4pm deadline.

Multiple sources within both government and KANU have revealed that the meeting, which also included KANU Secretary General George Wainaina and former Baringo Woman Representative Gladwel Cheruiyot, centred on what one State House official described as business considerations affecting the Moi family interests.

“His requests were in terms of his businesses. You know his businesses have been doing badly in the last three years,” a State House source disclosed, adding that Moi pleaded for intervention to safeguard the family’s commercial empire.

The Moi family has publicly complained that the Kenya Kwanza administration weaponised the Kenya Revenue Authority to target their business interests. Earlier this year, Sosian Energy Limited, an independent power producer partly owned by Moi’s son Kigen, lost its licence to conduct exploration and drilling at the Menengai geothermal project after a Nakuru court revoked its environmental impact assessment.

In May, Kencont Container Freight Station in Mombasa, a Siginon Group subsidiary linked to the family, faced a police raid over allegations of illegally held land.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen offered a different narrative while speaking at a Jukwa La Usalama Forum on Thursday evening, framing Moi’s withdrawal as political wisdom and part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.

“The meeting with the President was also a sign of unity because, as you are aware, there is a broad-based government which has Raila and former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s allies in it,” Murkomen said. “So, Gideon Moi has been invited to be in the broad-based government. We are also looking at the future in 2027, so that we can come together.”

The Cabinet Secretary praised Moi’s decision not to contest, describing it as a sign of political maturity and dignity befitting a veteran politician.

However, the manner of Moi’s withdrawal has triggered discontent within KANU ranks.

Party insiders accused their chairman of switching off his phone after instructing them to mobilise supporters for the IEBC clearance process, leaving his grassroots base feeling betrayed.

“He ought to have prepared his supporters so that they feel respected. We should have been more tactical. The way he has chickened out is not in good taste. It’s creating tension in the party,” a frustrated KANU official said.

George Wainaina attempted to downplay suggestions of a political deal, insisting the decision followed consultations between the two parties.

When pressed on whether business interests influenced the withdrawal, he replied that it was merely an agreement between parties, though he promised a comprehensive briefing.

“That is the Head of State for all of us,” Wainaina said. “If he calls us for a meeting and there are important matters to discuss, we attend. We are a national party and agreeing to attend such a meeting does not mean we are now joining the government.”

For President Ruto, Moi’s withdrawal eliminates the risk of political embarrassment in his Rift Valley backyard, where a UDA loss would have emboldened critics led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. The by-election, triggered by the death of UDA’s William Cheptumo, is widely viewed as a barometer of the President’s influence in his home region.

In the 2022 elections, Cheptumo defeated Moi decisively, garnering 141,177 votes against Moi’s 71,480. The loss was part of KANU’s broader decimation in the Rift Valley, where the party lost all but one seat to UDA.

Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant Tony Gachoka, a staunch KANU loyalist, struck a cautious tone about the development. “I’m in KANU to stay. If Gideon does not take his papers, there could be many things out of it,” he said. “He may either join or not join government, at the moment we don’t know what it means.”

The withdrawal marks another retreat from active politics for Moi and deals a blow to efforts to revive KANU as a national force. Political analysts suggest the move could signal a strategic repositioning ahead of 2027, either through renewed alliance with President Ruto or alignment with opposition forces.

With Moi out of the race, UDA candidate Vincent Chemitei now enjoys a clear path to victory, consolidating President Ruto’s grip on Baringo politics and the wider Rift Valley region.