Rift Valley rebels warm up to Ruto, say they support Jubilee
Rebel leaders the from Rift Valley who had formed an anti-Deputy President William Ruto crusade are now warming up to him.
The Star has established that some key figures in the vote-rich region, including Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto, MPs Zakayo Cheruiyot (Kuresoi South) and Oscar Sudi (Kapseret) are slowly shifting their allegiance to the DP.
Yesterday, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s political adviser Joshua Kutuny, Nandi MP Alfred Keter and Sudi met at the Fairview Hotel, Nairobi. After the two hour meeting, Kutuny said: “It is now important and critical for Rift Valley leaders to unite. We have had a successful meeting. We are making progress and we will keep talking because we need to unite our leaders.”
No personal differences
Keter and Sudi said they do not have personal differences with Ruto. They said they have only been raising genuine concerns over unfulfilled pledges by the Jubilee government.
“I have nothing personal against the DP. We support our DP and the Jubilee government at large. Going forward, we will work with the DP as we have done before,” Sudi said. Keter said people have been urging them to unite and efforts are being made at all levels.
Two MPs from the region welcomed the move by the “rebels” to work with the Deputy President. Ainamoi MP Benjamin Langat and his Bureti counterpart Leonard Sang said the reconciliation between the DP and Rutto is a major boost to the community as it prepares to vote in Ruto as President in 2022.
Last Tuesday, Rutto said he is ready to work with the DP and the Jubilee administration. “I am ready to work with other leaders to ensure problems facing the people are solved. What we need is honesty,” he said.
