Opportunistic politics reshapes Luo Nyanza as Ruto gains ground

NAIROBI, Kenya Sep 1 – When President William Ruto toured Siaya on Sunday, August 31, 2025, he was received like a long-lost friend.

Luo MPs and the Governor lined up to sing his praises, pledging support for his reforms and even promising to re-elect him in 2027.

It was a stunning show in a region that once stood firmly behind Raila Odinga and against President Ruto.

But behind the warm words lies a bigger question if the Luo leaders are genuinely embracing President Ruto or is this just opportunistic politics tied to state appointments and development perks.

Two key moves have changed the political climate in Luo Nyanza.

John Mbadi, a Raila loyalist, was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Treasury, the first time in history a Luo has ever held that powerful docket.

Opiyo Wandayi, another close Raila ally, landed the Energy ministry.

The appointments followed the March 7, 2025 political pact between President Ruto and Raila at KICC, where they agreed to form a “broad-based government” to tackle debt, corruption, and national unity.

For many Luo leaders, the plum positions combined with rising county allocations and President Ruto’s frequent tours have been enough to warm them up to a man they once bitterly opposed.

– The new praise chorus –

At the Siaya church service, the Luo leaders promised President Ruto “we will not abandon you,” citing his love for the region and the larger Nyanza region.

Energy CS Wandayi called President Ruto the community’s “natural ally.”

Even Raila’s elder brother, Senator Oburu Oginga, declared that “Ruto is going nowhere,” while Siaya Governor James Orengo carried Raila’s greetings and blessings.

From fiery opposition speeches in 2022 to open pledges of 2027 loyalty, the turnaround is nothing short of dramatic.

But critics see something else they have labelled as “opportunistic politics.”

The Luo region has long claimed marginalisation in national development, but that narrative is contested.

Under former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s handshake with Raila in 2018, Nyanza received major projects, from the Kisumu Port revival to new roads and health facilities.

Now, with Mbadi and Wandayi in Cabinet, leaders are once again portraying President Ruto as the savior of Nyanza.

But is it development that drives loyalty, or the perks of power?

– The Raila factor –

History offers a warning.

In 2022, Raila was President Ruto’s fiercest challenger, backed by then-President Uhuru, Ruto’s former boss turned bitter rival.

Raila lost, but by 2025 he had shaken hands with President Ruto in the name of peace and unity.

Yet critics argue that Raila has perfected the art of opportunism entering deals under the banner of national reconciliation but often emerging as the biggest political gainer.

Now, Luo MPs and Governors appear to be borrowing from his playbook.

Their open embrace of President Ruto may last as long as the Cabinet slots, county allocations, and presidential visits keep flowing.

But if the taps run dry, will the loyalty remain?

For President Ruto, the Luo shift is a political prize.

Cracking open Raila’s Nyanza stronghold ahead of 2027 would mark a major realignment.

But for many Kenyans watching, the lingering suspicion is that what we are seeing is not a marriage of ideology but one of convenience.

In Kenyan politics, loyalty often comes with conditions.

And in Nyanza, the test will be whether the new warmth for President Ruto survives without the sweeteners of state power.