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Raila-Ruto rift widens further
From left: Rift Valley MPs Peris Simam (Eldoret South), William Cheptumo (Baringo North), Samuel Poghisio (Kacheliba), Franklin Bett (Bureti) and William Ruto (Eldoret North) follow proceedings during a prayer service at Cheptiret Secondary School in Eldoret South on Sunday. Twenty-three MPs were there. Photo/JARED NYATAYA
The divide between Agriculture minister William Ruto and Prime Minister Raila Odinga appeared to widen on Sunday, with the former hinting that Rift Valley MPs were ready to form a fresh alliance in the next election.
He brought together 23 MPs in his Eldoret backyard, including Ministers Samuel Poghisio, Hellen Sambili, Franklin Bett and assistant minister Linah Kilimo, and declared that the Kalenjin community will no longer demand rewards from Mr Odinga.
As Mr Ruto spoke in Uasin Gishu, Mr Odinga’s key allies, at a separate meeting in Bondo, described his move as a desperate attempt to scuttle the ODM or to make Mr Odinga kneel down or “lie low like an envelope”, a scheme, they said, was bound to fall flat on its face.
Ministers Otieno Kajwang’ and assistant ministers Oburu Oginga and Ayiecho Olweny dismissed Mr Ruto as a leader who had no capacity to destroy ODM and stall Mr Odinga’s political career.
The PM, they said, had overcome more challenging battles, describing Mr Ruto’s manoeuvres as a “passing cloud.”
In Uasin Gishu, it was clear that Mr Ruto was seeking a different route for the political future of the community that hugely voted for Mr Odinga during the 2007 elections.
“The Kalenjin did not enter into any agreement with the Prime Minister to be rewarded for supporting him for the presidency in the last elections,” Mr Ruto said during interdenominational prayers at Kesses in Eldoret South.
Invited Kibaki
The MPs invited President Kibaki to tour the region without necessarily stating that he should be accompanied by the PM who some of the MPs accused of undermining them.
“President Kibaki is welcome in this region because he is focused and observes restraint as opposed to other leaders who are coming about to politick at the expense of engaging in development issues,” he said.
The occasion could mark a turning point in the political relationship between the ODM party leader and one of the deputy party leaders, which for long has been peppered with statements loaded with meaning.
What started as the clamour for their share of spoils after the formation of the Grand Coalition Government has been oiled by the PM’s strong position on the fate of the key suspects behind the post-election violence and his determination to evict Mau forest settlers.
Mr Ruto has been firmly opposed to the tribunal and the evictions, and even led a delegation of MPs to Harambee House to meet President Kibaki over the evictions that are being coordinated by Mr Odinga.
Twice, the PM has toured the Rift Valley without the company of the MPs and declared that he was ready to deal directly with the voters.
On Sunday, the MPs resolved to support one of their own for the presidency come the 2012 General Election.
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hehehehehehe......"the rich also cry"..... Kenya the land of political comics.....hehehehehe
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I just finished reading all comments,the entire fifty three of them.A quick poll done by me produced zero support for william samoei arap moi and cohort Bett."Ruto and Co,Kenyans are not stupid"
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Personally, I see Ruto a worse dictactor two times worse than his mentor, man Moi. The good thing is, he will never, and I repeat, never lead this country. Kenyans are now clever and those war mongers need to style up...Moi never wanted another strong man in RV, so you know what these represent, crap.
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