Well it was always a divide - the pastoralist or marginalized Meru-Embus - I am talking mbeeres-tharaka-igembes-tiganias - who were poor - and depended on Moi - were like kambas - they felt close to Moi.
The richer merus - imentis - and embu proper - always aligned with Mwai Kibaki and Kikuyus - who faced similar issues - the problem there was not food - but jobs/business - and Kibaki talked their economic language. This is also true for Gussii.
Now move to Kibaki - Imentis/Embu proper - prosper under Kibaki - and Imentis particularly become the blue-eyed boys. Then Uhuru happen.
So anyway as we speak - indeed Meru/Embu is one likely to give Ruto highest votes after kalejin.
1) They feel Uhuru has betrayed them - that is Imentis/Embu proper - neglected them unlike Kibaki - this is protest/angry vote
2) The almost pastoralist embu/meru - are at home with Ruto - they see themselves more like a marginalized group - Kibaki and his gov never trusted them - so these are like other pastoralist - the connection is deeper - Linturis or Kindikis. It like connection btw Maasai, Kalenjin and Somali...it just for the love of the cattle
- cows came from India to Africa - with hinduism worship of the cow - you will only understand this cattle complex if you're born to pastoralism.
But Raila is desperate.
And more importantly Ruto has found a way to unite the GEMA and Non-GEMA by walking a tight rope of win-win. It takes incredible discpline.
But Ruto already did it with Kalenjin -11 sub tribes - and Ruto united them. Isaac and Gideon have tried to play sub-tribal politics but zero takers - except in Pokot land - who do not trust Ruto that much. Pokot as we speak are now fully onboard.
How does Ruto do this - he is fair, he is disciplined so he doesnt say stupid things when drunk, and he is very reliable.
Bottomline - to run kenya - a country of very many small tribes - and sub-tribes - it takes incredible leadership skills - and Ruto is a rare leader with ability to unite such a country.
Biggest Mistake, Merus and Embus used to vote for Moi to spite Kikuyus. Now they have Ruto a non kikuyu and Raila thinks he can play a card for them to go against each other.
Truth is Raila will get more votes from Kyuks than Merus and Embus. The latter have more reason to vote for Ruto than Raila.
Topic: Raila-Munya ticket? (Read 1324 times)