Will Ruto Survive the Next Battlefront in Rift Valley?

Byline: Lucas Barasa

Politics especially in the Kalenjin-dominated Rift Valley is set to greatly change ahead of the 2012 elections after the region overwhelmingly voted against the proposed constitution in the August 4 referendum.

For the first time after former President Moi's rule, the community coalesced itself around Higher Education Minister William Ruto as he sought to have more say in national politics.

"Kalenjins are undergoing a process of metamorphosis. For the first time, they are strongly making a decision outside Moi's influence after being in government for many years. They have now to get used to fighting from outside," Moi University law lecturer Kipchumba Murkomen said.

Although Nairobi lawyer Katwa Kigen is …