DEPUTY President William Ruto has assured the Kalenjin community that its interests in the Jubilee administration are well-taken-care-of.
Ruto dismissed those claiming that URP, the party he leads, had been short-changed by TNA, which is led by President Uhuru Kenyatta, saying there are always misunderstandings in coalitions.
Speaking in Mogoiwet, Narok West Constituency, Narok County, over the weekend, Ruto urged the community to stop issuing threats and insisted he cannot betray them.
“You gave us the mandate to run this country and we shall do exactly that. Just like a family, a coalition has differences but that does not mean one walks away. We are in this coalition to the end,” said Ruto.
The deputy president is planning to chair a URP parliamentary group meeting next week, in an attempt to quell rising discontent in the party.
This would be the first URP parliamentary group meeting since the general election of March 2013. Some MPs have openly castigated Ruto, accusing him of remaining silent as TNA takes all the crucial jobs and other goodies in the coalition government.
According to sources, the meeting, whose venue has yet to be set, will bring together URP’s National Governing Council and all MPs and senators. Ruto will co-chair the meeting with party chairman Francis ole Kaparo.
Yesterday, URP secretary general Fred Muteti confirmed the meeting will take place, saying part of the agenda “is to put our house in order”. He added: “The deputy president is our party leader and we expect him to grace the function alongside other officials”.
Elgeiyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi however denied that there was a fallout in Rift Valley, saying “things will be sorted out in time”.
“I want to assure the Kalenjin community that all is well in Jubilee. Ruto is still the deputy president and he is involved in the day-to-day running of government. President Uhuru has never made any decision without involving the DP, they are good friends privately – meaning they respect each other in public affairs,” Murkomen said yesterday in an interview with the Star.
“I participated in drafting the coalition agreement and I know all the secrets in the coalition agreement, when you see me raise the alarm know that things are not good then, but now all is well and the interests of Kalenjins are still well-taken-care-of in Jubilee,” he said.
Sudi urged the Rift Valley MPs to respect Ruto, “as he is still the de facto Kalenjin leader”. “There is no need to worry, Ruto is still in control and all of us still respect him. Those disgruntled politicians are self- seekers with selfish interests,” he declared.
Speaking at the weekend, Ruto dismissed calls by Cord for mass rallies across the country, saying such calls can be a recipe for chaos.
“Previous calls for mass rallies took the country to the brink of disintegration in 2007. The peace we currently enjoy in the country must be jealously guarded and that is what the Jubilee administration is doing,” he said.
Also accompanying him were Governor Samuel Tunai, Deputy Governor Evelyn Aruasa, Senator Stephen Ntutu, MPs Katoo ole Metito, Patrick Ntutu, Korei ole Lemein, Moses Lessonet, Johana Ngeno, Joseph Limo and Soipan Kudate.
Metito, the Jubilee chief whip, called on the Cord leadership to tell Kenyans what Raila Odinga had gone to do in the United States of America.
He said they will not accept calls from Cord that the opposition be incorporated in the government because that will amount to mocking democracy.
“Kenyans decided on 4th March last year that this country be led by Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto. They also said Raila and team should wait till 2017 – and bringing them on board will be going against the law,” he said.
– the-star.co.ke
