Yes there are those who says Keter under pressure to retain his CS position abandoned Ruto and sought refuge in Gideon Moi. But those who knows Charles development record - will be hesitant to hang him for some johnney come lately "Mlevi" Dr Mutai.
Anyway though I havent been in Kericho long enough - Kipsigis are very measured folks; they rarely jump into euphorias; they silently examine candidates and consensus emerges.
The way I see - Charles will win. Charles has strong support in old belgut (which are now 3 const - belgut, ainamoi & sigowet-soin) - and he has shifted his homebase to Kipkelion west. So charles start at 4 const.
Meanwhile Mutai likely to carry the day in edges - Bureti and Kipkelion East - those are two - and few Bomet(sotiek) of towns. Most of makalele is from town people - who majority are Bomet (sot) people - who hates Charles because he finished Isaac Ruto (most sot people also hate Nandis - it been tough for them because Ruto traces his ancestry to Belgut - so they have run unsuccessfully Ruto is Nandi and we kipsigis are majority deserve to be in there - like was run against Tugen Moi.
Charles Keter is favourite for me; I saw the same Mutai kind of wave during 2016 when Kiptoiyot (Aaron) was fighting Chaman Buch (from Bureti) over the same issues....same My Cousin/Charles favouritism...but come election day it was 35% for Chaman buch - and 65% for Kiptoiyot.
We Bureti and Konoin people are in no mans land - because we should have been in our county Bureti Ne tebes - HQ Litein - but now we are neither accepted in Kericho or Bomet. That is fate awaiting Arap Mutai. We pushed Dr Kones in Bomet lakini wapi - the Sot people refused - saying we were privileged with tea and all that. Generally Bureti people (konoin & Bureti) are thought to be privelleged and rich = because of the climate - and therefore undeserving of those seats.
Essentially Kipsigis are split into 3=4 - Belgut (original kipisigs) - Kipkelion (maybe called Lubwa) - both of these groups are closes to Nandis - in language and culture - Bureti are in middle with some Gusii influence - the Bomet (Sot) - south Kipsigis - are half gusii half kipsigis - the language differs, mannerism, culture.
In Kericho, Keter is perceived as softly anti-Ruto that is why Dr. Mutai, who has embraced Ruto fully is swimming well in the tide. In the end, I think Keter might eke out a victory as he try to maintain his independence from DP.