Eldoret, Kenya: Two governors and MPs from the South Rift Friday snubbed a meeting called by Deputy President William Ruto as the political fall-out within Jubilee played out in his Sugoi home Friday.
Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto and his Kericho counterpart Paul Chepkwony skipped the closed-door meeting attended by Kalenjin elders drawn from all parts of the Rift Valley to address simmering political issues, including the recent appointments to parastatals by President Uhuru Kenyatta. However, Narok’s Samuel ole Tunai attended the meeting also graced by both senators from Kericho and Bomet — Charles Keter and Wilfred Lesan, respectively — and Uasin Gishu County chief Jackson Mandago.
The two governors are said to have been irked by the “casual” manner in which they were invited a day before the meeting. “The governors were not happy that the invitations came through their senators instead of the Deputy President himself and noted that they should he been told earlier and not a day before the meeting,” said one of the close allies of Kericho governor. He said the governors had an issue with the Deputy President over what they say is Ruto’s preference of senators and MPs over them and insisted that such a meeting should be done in a neutral place for it to be objective.
Bomet governor, who instead attended a function at Chepkolol Primary School in Bomet West Constituency together with Interior and National Coordination Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku and area MP Benard Bett was tight-lipped on why he snubbed the meeting. The meeting chaired by Ruto was attended by 120 “Muyoot” council of elders, who represent all the Kalenjin tribes. According to a source present at the meeting, the elders sought to understand the dynamics of the recent appointments made by Uhuru and Ruto and why the exercise was not inclusive.
The meeting was apparently called by the DP to contain speculation over recent appointments and a constant outcry by Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter over unfair treatment given to URP by their TNA counterparts. The source revealed that Ruto was asked to explain how the Jubilee government arrived at appointing officials and why other parts of the region were not represented.
“We wanted to get it from the horse’s mouth and know how the posts of various offices are shared and substantiate allegations that indeed URP was being sidelined by TNA in the distribution,” said the insider.
Ruto took time to explain in detail on the appointments and called on the Kalenjin elders to be content with the available slots. The DP noted that it would be unfair for two tribes to enjoy the larger share yet other the country was made up of 42 tribes.
According to the source, Ruto dispelled claims that the Kalenjin community was being edged out by TNA and quelled the fears that most elders felt over recent key appointments. “He pointed out the posts that Kalenjin community had in government and we were satisfied,” said the source.
However, Bernard Ng’eno Member of the County Assembly for Kapletundo in Bomet County said the meeting was more of a thanksgiving event for the election outcome that propelled Ruto to No. 2. “The meeting was more of thanks giving for our support for Jubilee Coalition in the general election, and the Deputy President also wanted to find out on the development agendas that the region wanted prioritised,” said Ng’eno.
He said during the closed door meeting the Deputy President assured them that they were fully in government and sought to disabuse them of the notion that he was not exerting his weight. “Mr Ruto told us to be firm in Jubilee Coalition as they worked to ensure that they benefitted from the government,” said Ngeno.
“The Deputy President said many more appointments were on the way and mentioned a few names that would be beneficiaries soon,” said the MCA. The snubbing of the meeting by the governors is seen as part of the power struggles that also played out two weeks ago when President Uhuru Kenyatta visited the region for a thanks-giving ceremony.
Sources say that Bomet County was dropped at the last minute from the President’s itinerary even as preparations had been completed to receive him and blamed Charles Keter for the change of programme. Those in the know told The Standard on Saturday that Keter influenced the last minute change, a move that caused tension among leaders from the two South Rift counties. The meeting was later held in Kapkatet sports grounds regarded as a historic site for the Kipsigis community.
The Bomet Governor and the DP — who are both leaders of URP — were at loggerheads most of last year over the government’s handling of devolution. During the New Year celebrations the Bomet Governor asked the Deputy President to call a URP party meeting to iron out important concerns.
“URP as a party must address the issues raised by a cross-section of leaders as relates to appointments and resource allocations. We were elected to positions on the strength of manifesto (Jubilee Coalition) and it is important that we fulfill pre-election pledges,” Ruto said He said the outcry across the country over recent appointments was a clear indication that that the leadership has disappointed the electorate. The Chairman of the governors Summit said failure to have proper communication was costing the Deputy President on the ground with the “grumbling getting louder” in his own backyard.
-standardmedia.co.ke
