Deputy President William Ruto denied that he is in talks with ODM leader Raila Odinga for him to join the Hustler Movement.
The DP refuted reports in the media that he met with Governor Wycliffe Oparanya to discuss a future coalition with Mr Odinga.
“I have met Wycliffe Oparanya not once. I have met with him probably five times, and of course, more times when he was Council of Governors, chairman. But I have met him to discuss politics five times," DP Ruto said
“We have discussed with him how we can work together and how he appreciates the Hustler narrative and the bottom-up approach,” he added.
2022 Politics
Dr. Ruto further stated that he perceives Mr. Odinga as his main challenger in the 2022 race for State House describing him as a formidable opponent.
“I see Raila Odinga as my competitor. He is the most formidable opponent I have in 2022. If Odinga will not be my competitor, who will be? I have worked with Odinga before. I understand how he operates,” said Ruto.
The meeting between DP Ruto and the Kakamega Governor elicited talk and unraveled some of the plans that have been in place for a long time.
Confidants of the DP have revealed that "Hustler Nation" has been trying to lure Kakamega governor to their camp for two years now.
Speaking to the media on April 13, 2021, Mathira Member of Parliament Rigathi Gachagua revealed that they had held a series of private meetings with Oparanya as they plot his exit from ODM.
"That meeting between Ruto and Oparanya is the 4th meeting in a row. We have been meeting Oparanya and I have been present in two previous meetings. He approached us in the year 2019 and 2020 wanting to join the hustler nation.