We are ready to walk away, Rift Valley MPs tell Uhuru

Some leaders have dared President Uhuru Kenyatta to come out and declare he has fallen out with his deputy William Ruto.

The Rift Valley legislators allied to the Deputy President yesterday said they were ready to call it a day with Uhuru and Jubilee, accusing the President of using his newfound relations with ODM leader Raila Odinga to fight Ruto. “You cannot hide behind the handshake and fight against graft when we know that the agenda is to fight Ruto politically. Uhuru should come out and tell us he is tired with his deputy and we will call it a day,” said Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen. Murkomen and Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi said there was no reason to celebrate as Jubilee family has known no peace since the handshake happened between President Kenyatta and Raila on March 9 last year.
Murkomen sensationally claimed the war on graft and current investigations were a ploy to deny residents of Rift Valley development. He claimed there was a plot to revoke the projects to create political revolt against the DP in his backyard. Political deceit Sudi said: “We need to tell one another the truth. The situation is getting out of hand and Uhuru seems to be taking advantage to target us in Rift Valley in the name of fighting corruption. It seems President Kenyatta has got another option and it is time he declares it so that we part ways.” They spoke at the burial of Bomet East MP Beatrice Kones’s son Collins Kipyegon who died two weeks ago.
Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso and Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot shared the sentiments, declaring their opposition to the handshake and terming it a tool of political deceit. Laboso said Kenyans stand to gain nothing out of the handshake apart from individuals plotting political capital out of it. Cheruiyot said President Kenyatta had taken the Kalenjin community for a political ride, warning him to prepare to leave with a bad legacy. And in Eldoret, four MPS from Elgeyo Marakwet, accompanied by at least 20 MCAs, claimed the President had politically fallen out with Ruto. Marakwet East MP Kangogo Bowen accused the President of using the war on corruption to target senior state officials from the Kalenjin community.
However, Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter said corrupt leaders should carry their own cross and stop dragging the entire community into their own issues. “If there is a son of the Kalenjin community who has looted public funds he did it for himself and not for the community. There is no community in this war which is under threat. People should deal with their own muck without dragging us,” said Keter. Meanwhile, ODM leaders have told President Kenyatta to use powers bestrewed upon him by the Constitution to stop MPs allied to the DP from intimidating him. The legislators, led by Siaya Senator James Orengo, said they were worried by continued attack on the Presidency and opposition leader Raila Odinga by a clique of MPs from Rift Valley and told the President to act. “This is the time the President must stand out to be counted. Mr President you should not be intimidated by anybody because of your deputy. You must act now. As MPs we will not allow anyone to attack you and our leader Raila,” said Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo.
Odhiambo, Orengo, Christine Ombaka (Siaya Woman Rep),  Sam Atandi (Alego), Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja), Gideon Ochanda (Bondo) and Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga asked Ruto’s allies to respect the President and stop blaming him for the woes facing those being investigated over corruption. The leaders demanded that DCI George Kinoti order Ruto to record statements on how he knew only Sh7 billion is lost in the dams scandal.

THE STANDARD