Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto has said his new party, Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM), will take over the “void” left by folding up of United Republican Party (URP) to join Jubilee Party (JP).
Speaking on Saturday after opening a CCM office in Litein town, Bureti constituency, Ruto commended MPs for striking out the clause barring party-hopping which had been pinned to the electoral reforms proposals.
During the event, Londiani MCA Jackson Kikwai defected from URP and joined CCM.
The governor told Deputy President William Ruto that members of the Kalenjin community and Kenyans were eager to bide URP and The National Alliance (TNA) goodbye and welcome CCM and other new parties to take over.
“Jubilee leaders formed Jubilee Party, thinking they could lock down Kenyans to it by barring party hopping, but Kenyans have demonstrated that they want to keep on enjoying their democratic rights enshrined in the Constitution,” said Ruto.
Ruto reminded Jubilee leaders that proper devolution was the cure the country’s problems.
“The country must fully support devolution. Next year’s General Election will be an opportunity to send home non-performing leaders and replacing them with those who are in touch and in tune with the people’s needs. The power rests with the people,” the governor said.
He told off the DP and Energy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Charles Keter over their scheme to snatch the Bomet County leadership from him.
Jubilee is fronting National Assembly Deputy Speaker Dr Joyce Laboso to wrest the governorship from Ruto.
“Some Jubilee leaders have been going around telling me that I wouldn’t be re-elected and I wonder if they are voters in Bomet,” said Ruto.
-standardmedia.co.ke