President Kenyatta is to host Maasai elders early next week in a bid to woo them to join his party, The National Alliance.
The elders, including former Cabinet minister William ole Ntimama and former assistant minister John Keen, were meant to meet the President on Thursday, but the appointment has been pushed to Tuesday next week.
Kajiado North MP Moses ole Sakuda, who is coordinating the State House visit, on Thursday confirmed that he will lead at least 20 Maasai elders to meet President Kenyatta.
The elders, who will also include former Transport Licensing Board (TLB) chairman Hassan ole Kamwaro, he claimed, have agreed to join TNA.
“ Elders from the Maa community will visit State House to meet the President either on Tuesday or Wednesday next week. They want to join President Kenyatta’s party, the TNA. I am just waiting for the confirmation of the date,” the TNA MP said by phone.
Mr Sakuda said they had decided to start with Narok County which he said still has pockets of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
It will be interesting to know whether Mr Ntimama, the former Narok North MP and ODM kingpin, will jump ship and join TNA. Contacted on Thursday, he said that he was aware of the planned State House visit which was being organised by Mr Sakuda, whom he described as “a former activist”.
CAMPAIGNED FOR RAILA
During the 2013 elections, Mr Ntimama campaigned for Cord presidential candidate Raila Odinga and dismissed the Jubilee torchbearers as people who could not lead Kenya.
On Thursday, he said: “Let us get there first. We should not spoil the plans of the President and the elders. You can be sure that we will let you know what has taken place.”
Mr Keen, who was in Namanga, said even though he was not aware of the planned State House visit, he was eager to meet President Kenyatta.
Mr Sakuda said the visit was meant to find the way forward for the Maa community and explore ways of working together. He said elders also want to thank the President for appointing two members of the community to position of Principal Secretary.
He was referring to Information, Communications and Technology PS Joseph Tiampati and his Devolution and Planning counterpart John Konchellah.
Ironically, the county which has six constituencies, is dominated by United Republican Party MPs (four), with TNA and Kenya National Congress sharing the remaining two.
Ms Soipan ole Tuya, the Narok County women’s representative, and Senator Stephen ole Ntutu, were elected on a URP ticket.-nation.co.ke
