Ruto's party presents papers to registrar

Top officials of the United Republican Party (URP) on Monday formally applied for registration.

Eldoret North MP William Ruto led party officials and allied legislators in presenting registration documents to the Registrar of Political Parties Lucy Ndungu.

Party officials present were interim Chairman Nickson Korir, incoming Chairman Francis Ole Kaparo, legislators Isaac Rutto, Charles Keter, Zachayo Cheruiyot, David Koech and Sammy Mwaita.

Meanwhile, Isaac Rutto has termed as “propaganda” reports that Rift Valley URP leaders were involved in a tussle that delayed the party from presenting its papers.

Mr Rutto said there is no antagonism between him and Mr Keter over the party's membership list.

“That is pure propaganda that has been brought up to divide the party,” Mr Rutto said.

Mr Keter said the two come from different counties and therefore the issue of altering membership lists does not arise.

Mosop MP David Koech said that there could be issues affecting the party in the South Rift, but said that this was not rocking the party.

He said that URP was focused on its agenda and would not allow “internal competitive politics” to be turned into controversies.

“If some people are engaged in turf wars at the South Rift, that does not mean the party is breaking. Those are small issues they can solve,” Koech said.

Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo has kicked off his on rallies in a quest for the URP presidential ticket, with some saying that it was creating factions.

But Mr Koech said that the Lugari MP was impatient and had embarked on an early campaign which may be misinterpreted.

“Immediately URP was launched, there were G7 rallies, which we could not convert into URP rallies. We have not begun proper URP rallies like Jirongo leading to this speculation of a rift,” he added.