Kanu chairman and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi (centre) addresses
supporters at Kapkatet Stadium in Kericho County during a campaign rally
for their candidate Paul Sang on February 19, 2016. PHOTO | Linkup Africa Media
Kanu chairman Gideon Moi on Monday dismissed claims by Deputy President William Ruto that his party was in the opposition.
Speaking at a campaign rally at Lesirwo in Kipkelion West Constituency in Kericho on Monday, an angry Moi said Kanu had signed an agreement with the Jubilee Alliance to be part of the government.
DP Ruto, in a series of rallies at the weekend, urged Kericho voters not to back Kanu as it was in the opposition while it was in the interest of the Rift Valley to be in government.
Kanu was being used by his political opponents to break Kalenjin unity and extinguish support for him in the county, added the DP.
The Baringo Senator said the DP was deliberately misleading Kericho residents and painting Kanu in bad light in the hope that the voters would forget unfulfilled Jubilee government promises to the South Rift regions and back JAP.
“Why do we have to lie about these issues? For those in doubt, Kanu is in the government. We have an agreement with the present government in the Jubilee Coalition. All we are saying is that we want those leaders who made promises to the people to keep their promises,” he said.
Mr Moi was campaigning for the Kanu candidate Paul Sang who is facing Jubilee’s Aaron Cheruiyot in the March 7 Kericho senatorial by-election.
RUTO'S APOLOGY
The senate race has attracted six candidates who include Bishop Daniel Tanui (National Vision Party), Paul Sigei Yaem (United Democratic Movement), Daniel Mutai (New Democrats) and Kericho lawyer Wycliffe Ng’enoh of the Maendeleo Democratic Party (MDP).
However, at a separate function at the Roret AIC Church in Bureti Constituency, Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter, Kericho Women Representative Hellen Chepkwony and Bureti MP Leonard Sang appealed to Kericho voters to back Mr Cheruiyot.
Mr Keter said allegations that Jubilee had not implemented development projects in Kericho and the South Rift were fictitious, adding that the current government had done more for the region that any other government in Kenya’s history.
“With all humility I ask voters to support JAP in the by-election. We have done a lot in terms of infrastructure development and there is more to come in the near future,” said Mr Keter.
As political temperatures soar ahead of the by-election, some elders in Baringo County on Monday ‘barred’ Deputy President William Ruto from visiting the area until he apologises for speaking of the Baringo Senator in unsavoury terms.
Mr Ruto is reported to have referred to the junior Moi as a boy. The Deputy President has since dismissed claims adding that his statement was taken out of context by the media.
“My statements have never been about trivialities like circumcision but as always, The Star is at it. I understand sales matter,” the DP posted on his Twitter account last week.
The newspaper front-paged the alleged slur.
The elders, led by former Kabarnet Municipal Deputy Mayor Joshua Matetai and who also spoke to the Nation in Kabarnet on Monday, accused the DP of disrespecting other leaders from the region.
“He will not have our blessings as a leader until he apologises to the Baringo people,” said Mr Matetai, who is also the former Seguton ward councillor.
The elders said that they will soon meet to chart the way forward on the region’s political destiny.
Speaking at a campaign rally at Lesirwo in Kipkelion West Constituency in Kericho on Monday, an angry Moi said Kanu had signed an agreement with the Jubilee Alliance to be part of the government.
DP Ruto, in a series of rallies at the weekend, urged Kericho voters not to back Kanu as it was in the opposition while it was in the interest of the Rift Valley to be in government.
Kanu was being used by his political opponents to break Kalenjin unity and extinguish support for him in the county, added the DP.
The Baringo Senator said the DP was deliberately misleading Kericho residents and painting Kanu in bad light in the hope that the voters would forget unfulfilled Jubilee government promises to the South Rift regions and back JAP.
“Why do we have to lie about these issues? For those in doubt, Kanu is in the government. We have an agreement with the present government in the Jubilee Coalition. All we are saying is that we want those leaders who made promises to the people to keep their promises,” he said.
Mr Moi was campaigning for the Kanu candidate Paul Sang who is facing Jubilee’s Aaron Cheruiyot in the March 7 Kericho senatorial by-election.
RUTO'S APOLOGY
The senate race has attracted six candidates who include Bishop Daniel Tanui (National Vision Party), Paul Sigei Yaem (United Democratic Movement), Daniel Mutai (New Democrats) and Kericho lawyer Wycliffe Ng’enoh of the Maendeleo Democratic Party (MDP).
However, at a separate function at the Roret AIC Church in Bureti Constituency, Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter, Kericho Women Representative Hellen Chepkwony and Bureti MP Leonard Sang appealed to Kericho voters to back Mr Cheruiyot.
Mr Keter said allegations that Jubilee had not implemented development projects in Kericho and the South Rift were fictitious, adding that the current government had done more for the region that any other government in Kenya’s history.
“With all humility I ask voters to support JAP in the by-election. We have done a lot in terms of infrastructure development and there is more to come in the near future,” said Mr Keter.
As political temperatures soar ahead of the by-election, some elders in Baringo County on Monday ‘barred’ Deputy President William Ruto from visiting the area until he apologises for speaking of the Baringo Senator in unsavoury terms.
Mr Ruto is reported to have referred to the junior Moi as a boy. The Deputy President has since dismissed claims adding that his statement was taken out of context by the media.
“My statements have never been about trivialities like circumcision but as always, The Star is at it. I understand sales matter,” the DP posted on his Twitter account last week.
The newspaper front-paged the alleged slur.
The elders, led by former Kabarnet Municipal Deputy Mayor Joshua Matetai and who also spoke to the Nation in Kabarnet on Monday, accused the DP of disrespecting other leaders from the region.
“He will not have our blessings as a leader until he apologises to the Baringo people,” said Mr Matetai, who is also the former Seguton ward councillor.
The elders said that they will soon meet to chart the way forward on the region’s political destiny.
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