By Nyang’au Araka
Lawyer Danstan Omari has urged Jubilee Party Deputy Leader Fred Matiang’i and retired Chief Justice David Maraga to abandon their presidential ambitions and support President William Ruto in the 2027 elections.
Omari, who described both Dr Matiang’i and Maraga as his former clients, said the Gusii community was too small to produce a president without forming alliances with other communities.
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Speaking in Nyamira, Omari said Gusii votes alone would not be sufficient to propel a presidential candidate to State House, urging politicians from the region to prioritise peace, development and political alliances.
“We are a very small community. Our votes will not be more than 1.3 million. We can only make alliances with other tribes. If we only remain alone and isolate ourselves, we will be nowhere,” he said.
Omari said the community had previously failed to translate its numbers into national political influence, citing the late Simeon Nyachae’s presidential bid, when he said the community secured about 300,000 votes.
“Even if we have added, we can do 800,000 votes. Is that enough for us to produce a presidential candidate? I do not believe that,” he said.
He appealed directly to Matiang’i and Dr Maraga to join what he described as Ruto’s “two-term project”, arguing that the region stood to gain by being part of government.
“I’m urging my two clients, Dr Fred Matiang’i and Chief Justice Retired Maraga, to join Ruto,” Omari said.
Omari said his support for Ruto was informed partly by their personal and professional relationship, noting that the President had been his client and friend.
“Dr William Ruto is my client. He is a personal friend, and I have worked with him. So therefore, I cannot abandon my friend and go to people who are not my friends,” he said.
He also linked his support for Ruto to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s decision to work with the President under the broad-based government arrangement.
Omari said he had been an ODM lawyer from 2017 and had represented several senior party figures, including former Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.
“When Raila Odinga decided to negotiate with William Ruto for the broad-based government, I was part of the team. Therefore, we cannot abandon, we can’t move away from where Raila Odinga left us,” he said.
He said the political landscape in the Gusii region had since changed, claiming that ODM had lost its previous influence in the area.
On Dr Matiang’i, Omari said their relationship went beyond politics, noting that they attended school together in Kiabonyoru and later studied at the same university.
He recalled defending the former CS when he was arrested, saying he had been instructed by West Mugirango MP Steve Mogaka to represent him and had contacted Odinga, who came to Matiang’i’s aid.
“We protected Matiang’i, all three. But do I protect him now? I don’t,” Omari said, arguing that the former CS lacked sufficient national support to mount a successful presidential campaign.
“Let us not be cheated that Dr Fred Matiang’i is going to be on the ballot,” he said.
Omari similarly ruled out Maraga’s chances, despite describing the former Chief Justice as a good legal mind and noting that they come from the same clan.
“He’s a very good legal mind. But he cannot be elected as a president of the country,” Omari said.
Speaking to journalists, Omari called for peace in Kisii and Nyamira counties, warning that political violence could undermine economic activity and investment.
He recalled the disruption following the 2007 post-election violence, saying investors from neighbouring counties relocated to Kisii and Nyamira.
He also cited ongoing development projects in Nyamira as reasons for maintaining stability, including the construction of a university at Kebonyoru, the Kenya Medical Training College serving more than 800 students, and the Magombo-Bondeli tarmac road.
Omari also praised West Mugirango MP Steve Mogaka for development projects in schools and urged politicians seeking elective positions to campaign on their development record.
He called on Kisii professionals and young people to support Ruto’s re-election bid, saying the region should seek to benefit from the government of the day.
“My last appeal is that all Kisii professionals, all Kisii young people, let us join the two-term so that we can develop, we can grow, we can reap from the benefits of the government of the day,” he said.
