Sacked elders blame Ruto over fallout

The leader of the disbanded Kalenjin Council of Elders on Sunday launched an attack on Agriculture minister William Ruto, describing him as “showing some arrogance”. Mr Said Keitany, who was voted out together with his team, said he had no regrets for supporting Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

The council was bundled out at a meeting of Rift Valley leaders on Saturday and replaced with a high-powered team, which includes retired generals and top Moi-era officials. It was meant to be a purely cultural affair but has since assumed political dimensions and is being seen as part of a contest for supremacy in Rift Valley by the top command of the Orange party.

On Sunday, Mr Keitany told the Daily Nation he had no apologies for supporting Mr Odinga because “he is the only politician with a reform agenda for Kenya.” He said Mr Ruto faces “a tall order” in dismantling Mr Odinga’s support on the ground, and that the new council will find it difficult to get the community to support the Eldoret North MP who, he said, still displayed “some arrogance”. “They cannot change that (Mr Odinga’s support). People respect my opinion and that is why Raila had faith in me in 2007,” he said.

Mr Keitany claimed Mr Ruto failed in his bid to become the ODM presidential candidate in 2007 because of the strong campaigns they did for Mr Odinga. “Remember Ruto tried to be the ODM candidate in 2007 and failed. He can continue to display his arrogance, but he is still the same Ruto and it will get him nowhere,” he said.

“It requires wide consultations for any decision to be reached on the council of elders, and I doubt if the new council will add to his presidential ambitions,” he said. But he welcomed the new council, saying it was “more inclusive”, but maintained that he will continue to serve his community in other fora.

The new council is chaired by Maj (rtd) John Seii and includes former Chief of General Staff General Daudi Tonje and retired Army commander, Lt General Lazurus Sumbeywo.

Speaking to the Daily Nation, Agriculture minister William Ruto, the leading politician in the Rift Valley, described the removed elders as “imposters” who have been misleading their community through their public statements. The former council was perceived as allied to Prime Minister Raila Odinga. It made a much-publicised visit to Bondo, Mr Odinga’s ancestral home, for a meeting with the Luo Council of Elders in September.

“We have had brokers going round masquerading as the elders of the community and making statements which are taken as the Kalenjin stand, and we are happy that the (new) council will have that responsibility now,” he said. Mr Ruto, who has declared he will vie for the presidency in 2012, had brought together ministers, MPs, former lawmakers and opinion leaders to the Reformed Church of East in Eldoret Town.

Mr Keitany is a long-time ally of the Agriculture minister as is another sacked elder, businessman Jakcson Kibor. The two were in the delegation of elders that visited Mr Odinga at his Opoda farm in Bondo district — which may have been interpreted as an expression of loyalty to the PM.

Mr Ruto said the new team will lead in charting the community’s political destiny, including influencing its political leadership in the national theatre. “The Kalenjin Council of Elders, which has been formed after intense consultations among community leaders, will be able to issue statements representing the true position of the community,” he said.

He said the Keitany team was made up of “self-imposed people who were just political brokers posturing as elders.” Commenting, Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga warned against divisive politics in ODM and said a section of MPs were “fuelling hatred in the party”.

“Some people want to endear themselves to leaders they are allied to for their own political mileage without realising they are splitting the party. We as leaders must learn to engage in constructive politics,” he said. Konoin MP Julius Kones, an ally of Mr Ruto, said the old team of elders was due for the sack because of their political activities.

“The Keitany and Kibor group had its own political interests and could not guide the community well,” he said. Also in the new council is former former assistant minister Elijah Sumbeiywo, the Gen Sumbeywo’s brother, and former deputy speaker Samuel Ng’eny.

The gathering on Saturday was presented as a purely cultural affair but was attended by many of the political heavy-weights of the province, among them Cabinet ministers Franklin Bett, Henry Kosgey, assistant ministers William Cheptumo, Jackson Kiptanui, and MPs Lucas Chepkitony, Benjamin Langat, Isaac Ruto, Joshua Kutuny, David Koech, Julius Kones and Elijah Lagat.

Former powerful minister and National Vision Party leader Nicholas Biwott was also present and asked all leaders to push for Kalenjiin unity or risk being politically isolated. Nominated MP Musa Sirma and Kipkelion MP Magerer Lang’at, seen as Mr Odinga’s allies, were not present but sent their apologies through the Industrialisation minister.

Push interests

Higher education minister Dr Sally Kosgei, assistant minister Charles Keter and MPs Zakayo Cheruiyot, Peris Simam, Prof Margaret Kamar and Joyce Laboso, who were all said to be on official trips abroad, sent apologies, as did Luka Kigen and Sammy Mwaita, who were overseeing the relocation of Internally Displaced Persons.

Mr Bett, the Roads minister, asked the Tonje team to push the community’s interests when the Interim Independent Boundaries Commission, headed by former MP Andrew Ligale, tours the region. Mr Cheptumo, the Justice assistant minister, said the elders will present the community’s memorandum to the Committee of Experts reviewing the Constitution.

“Elders from other communities will be making their presentations to the commission and we expect the Kalenjin Council of Elders to do so,” Mr Cheptumo said. The launch of the new council will likely be seen in the context of the perceived battle for supremacy for the Orange party.