Former Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto has made a stunning revelation about his political past, disclosing that he was, albeit briefly, the presidential candidate for the National Super Alliance (NASA) ahead of the 2017 General Election.
Speaking on a local radio station on Friday, October 24, 2025, Rutto said he held the position for roughly 48 hours as a “compromise” choice after the NASA principals the late Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi, and Moses Wetang’ula failed to agree on who would fly the coalition’s flag.
According to Rutto, Raila had hinted that NASA would unveil a “surprise candidate” at their much-anticipated Uhuru Park rally. Behind the scenes, that surprise was none other than Rutto himself.
“The four could not agree, and it was at this juncture that Raila and Kalonzo decided they would give Kenyans a surprise. I was a presidential candidate from Friday up to Saturday morning,” Rutto revealed, adding that even his wife was unaware of the decision.
Rutto, who had joined NASA through his Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) party, was seen as a strategic choice to draw votes from the South Rift region, a key battleground in the 2017 elections.
However, his brief candidacy ended before the public announcement. Rutto said he called for unity and told his colleagues that Raila was the most suitable candidate. He even threatened to take the microphone at Uhuru Park and declare his withdrawal if his name was announced.
Ultimately, Raila Odinga was unveiled as NASA’s flagbearer, but Rutto’s designated chair at the rally remained at the center — a symbolic reminder of what could have been.
Rutto noted that his decision to join NASA was driven by his commitment to social justice and the protection of devolution, which he feared was under threat from the then Jubilee administration.
