Jubilee coalition’s move to merge all affiliate parties is meant to win the next general elections as well as unite Kenyans, the Deputy President William Ruto said Saturday.
Speaking during this year’s Kimalel goat auction in Baringo County, the DP said tribalism and negative ethnicity could only be eradicated if Kenyans are united through the formation of parties with a national outlook.
“We must believe in higher ideals than just winning an election and at the same time be honest with politics of our country,” said Mr Ruto, “We must guard against those who want to use tribal politics to drag us back while we want to march forward as a progressive country”.
He said all the Jubilee parties would have merged by 2017 in readiness for the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said Jubilee has a higher calling of uniting Kenyans by bringing all its affiliate parties together.
“We want to change the history of politics of this nation by winning an election and uniting Kenyans at the same time,” said Mr Murkomen.
Mr Murkomen dismissed the notion that the move by Jubilee to merge all its affiliate parties was aimed at taking the country to a one-party state.
“Our move is not to create one-party state but to have one, two or three political parties based on issues and not tribal or regional,” said the senator.
“We want to compete on issues and not on sectarian lines as currently being witnessed in our country,” he added.
CORD COALITION
Mr Murkomen took a swipe at the Cord coalition for allegedly criticizing the government unfairly instead of addressing challenges facing Kenyans.
“Problems facing Kenyans need a collective approach to solve them. But for Cord to criticise the Government unfairly without giving alternative solution is mere politicking,” said Mr Murkomen.
Other MPs who attended the Baringo goat auction were Asman Kamama (Tiati), William Cheptumo (Baringo North), Sammy Mwaita (Baringo Central), Grace Kipchoim (Baringo South), Grace Kiptui (Women Rep), Hellen Sambili (Mogotio), Governor Benjamin Cheboi (Baringo) and former Cabinet Minister Musa Sirma.
The legislators said they would popularise the new Jubilee party ahead of the next general election.
“Our resolve to bring together all Jubilee parties is unstoppable. Our people are firmly behind the leadership of the Deputy President,” said Baringo North MP William Cheptumo.
Tiaty MP Asman Kamama said they would launch awareness campaigns to sensitize the people on the new Jubilee party ahead of the next general election.
Governor Cheboi said leaders in Baringo were in full support of the government in implementing its development projects for the county.
“We are in full support of the development projects being spearheaded by the government. We also support the new Jubilee party that aims to bring all Kenyans together,” said Mr Cheboi.
The Deputy President at the same time lauded local leaders efforts under the peace caravan initiative for their commitment to restore peace along the Kerio Valley.
“I am a proud Kenyan because of dedicated commitment by leaders to ensure peace in areas which were recently affected by insecurity along the Kerio Valley,” said Mr Ruto.
Mr Ruto told residents in the region to help leaders, police and the provincial administration in the fight against cattle rustling.
“I told you and still tell you today that there is huge difference between stock theft and stock exchange. We should therefore discard this primitive culture and concentrate on development,” said the DP.
CATTLE RUSTLING AND DEVELOPMENT
The MPs praised the national government for supporting the recent peace caravan, which they said has yielded fruits.
“From the time we started the peace caravan, cases of cattle rustling along the Kerio valley have reduced by 98 per cent,” said Mr Kamama who is also the chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Security.
Baringo South MP Ms Kipchoim said communities in the county were now living in peace and commended leaders for putting aside their political differences in the war against insecurity.
Mr Ruto added that the government has allocated another Sh4 billion to Chemosus water project to speed local residents connection to the water supply.
“As you are aware, the government had used Sh5 billion to Chemosus water project. We have added another Sh4 billion to speed up connection of water to families in dire need of the commodity,” said the Deputy President.
He said another Sh3.5 billion has been set aside for the Kirandich water project that will supply water to residents of Kabarnet and Kabartonjo areas.
Mr Ruto said the ongoing construction work on the Loruk-Tot-Marich pass would open up the Kerio Valley region to the rest of the world.
“The contractor has already tarmacked 40 kilometres of the road and the remaining kilometres will soon be covered,” said Mr. Ruto.
The Deputy President urged Kenyans to take a leading role in the fight against corruption, warning public officers found engaging in the vice that they will not be spared.
“The war against corruption can be won if all of us take a leading role by exposing those who engage in it,” said Mr. Ruto.
Labour Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie and Livestock Principal Secretary Fred Sergon also attended the function.
