Ruto’s hidden hand in Salasya’s Western political tour

By Newsflash Political Desk

President William Ruto is behind Mumias East MP Peter Salasya’s renewed political campaigns in the Western region, Newsflash can reveal.

While Salasya’s high-energy rallies across Western counties may seem like the personal ambition of a young, charismatic leader, sources close to the State House told Newsflash that his political resurgence is part of a carefully crafted strategy by Ruto to infiltrate and dominate the Luhya voting bloc ahead of the 2027 general election.

Salasya, a first-term MP under the DAP-Kenya party, rose from near obscurity to national prominence in 2022 after winning the Mumias East seat with 12,000 votes.

His journey from poverty—where supporters even built him a house, known as “Simba”—to Parliament has made him a symbol of youth empowerment and resilience. But behind this personal success story lies a growing strategic interest from President Ruto, who has now shifted his attention to Western and Nyanza regions, following a drop-in influence in the critical Mt Kenya voting bloc.

According to political analysts, Salasya is more than just a rising star—he is Ruto’s political chess piece in the unfolding 2027 realignment.

“President Ruto is playing a long game. Salasya appeals to Gen Z and the broader youth base, a demographic that Ruto knows will be crucial in the next election. He’s using Salasya not just to gain sympathy votes, but to disrupt and eventually neutralize the opposition within the Luhya nation,” explains Martin Musalia, a political scientist at Masinde Muliro University.

Presidential bid sparks strategy talk

In an uncharacteristic move for a first-time legislator, Salasya recently announced his intention to run for the presidency. His declaration came amid a whirlwind tour of Western counties—Bungoma, Kakamega, Busia, Vihiga, and Trans Nzoia—an unprecedented feat for a Luhya leader without the backing of traditional party machinery.

“I have broken the history as the first Luhya leader to have traversed the entire Western of 5 counties and do rallies on my own,” Salasya said during a rally.

Targeting Eugene Wamalwa’s base

Behind the scenes, Newsflash has learned, Ruto’s strategists are keen on leveraging Salasya’s growing popularity to achieve several objectives.

Firstly, the President aims to weaken DAP-Kenya leader and former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, who has positioned himself as the face of opposition in the Luhya region and is allied to the Gachagua-led camp. Wamalwa has been consolidating the opposition base, especially targeting Gen Z voters with pro-reform narratives.

“By elevating Salasya, Ruto is forcing Wamalwa to focus on cutting Salasya’s feet rather than building his own national clout,” says political analyst Sheila Munene.

Capturing the youth vote

Secondly, Ruto hopes Salasya can act as a magnet for the youth vote and weaken the appeal of other youth-friendly presidential hopefuls like Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah and former Chief Justice David Maraga. The youth vote, disillusioned by traditional political structures, remains largely undecided, and Ruto knows he needs a charismatic figure to capture their imagination.

Mumias East MP Peter Salasya addresses his supporters during one of his many tours in the Western Kenya region. Photo/X/Peter Salasya

Salasya has embraced this role with vigor.

“My star is for Kenya (national leadership). My star is not small,” he said in a recent interview on the Obinna Show.

“Ruto was not necessarily a governor to be elected President. Riggy-G was not a governor to be a Deputy President. When someone’s star has shone, there is no doubt. You just go with it.”

Positioning for a run-off

Whether his presidential ambitions are genuine or part of a larger script, Salasya has left the door open for other roles.

“You never know! Someone at the top might ask: ‘Who controls the youth?’ And they later say, ‘We can give you the money… Peter Salasya, leave the MP seat and be an ambassador of the youth countrywide.’ I can’t refuse such an offer!”

This candid statement further fuels speculation that Ruto’s administration could offer Salasya a platform beyond Parliament, in exchange for national mobilization of the youth under the Kenya Kwanza banner.

Buffer against Opposition unity

Ruto’s plan is multilayered. By nurturing Salasya’s political star, he is hedging against a strong opposition coalition. Should a presidential run-off occur in 2027, Ruto hopes to enter negotiations from a position of strength, having already corralled key voting blocs, especially in Western and Nyanza.

“Salasya’s influence, while nascent, is growing rapidly. If he continues on this trajectory and manages to dilute the opposition’s grip on the Luhya youth, Ruto will have a powerful asset during post-election negotiations or in a run-off scenario,” says analyst Joshua Oyier.

Ruto’s new battleground

The strategic focus on the Western region is not accidental. Ruto has already suffered losses in Mt Kenya, where internal Kenya Kwanza tensions and disillusionment with the Deputy President’s camp have cost him key allies. That political vacuum has forced a recalibration.

President William Ruto addresses his supporters at Narok County on 6 May, 2025. Photo/PCS

“With Salasya, Ruto sees an opportunity to reset his narrative in Western Kenya,” explains Prof. Musalia.

The idea is not just to win votes but to sow confusion within the opposition ranks, making it difficult for them to mount a united challenge in 2027. Analysts see echoes of former President Daniel arap Moi’s 1992 playbook, when a splintered opposition handed him a comfortable win.

“It’s a classic divide-and-conquer tactic, not unlike Moi’s strategy in 1992, when the opposition’s internal wrangles handed him an easy win,” says Munene.

As the rallies continue and Salasya’s national star rises, political observers warn that the real battle lies not in his rhetoric but in the motives of those funding and backing his movement.

“In Kenyan politics, popularity is rarely organic for long. When it persists, someone powerful is always oiling the wheels,” notes Munene.