Produce power sharing plan with Mt Kenya, Ruto asked

Mount Kenya voters will back Deputy President William Ruto for the presidency if he reveals how he will share power with the region, Kiambu County Governor William Kabogo has said.

Mr Kabogo stirred the hornet’s nest early this week when he said that voters from the region may not honour a 2013 deal to support Mr Ruto’s quest for the presidency in 2022.

And speaking in Gatundu on Thursday, Mr Kabogo said that he supported Deputy President but wanted to know how the region will benefit from a Ruto presidency.

“As a region, we must know what our stake shall be when Ruto takes over from Uhuru.We must also ensure that the country’s leadership does not get lost in the Rift valley region,” he said.

And during the burial of Kirinyaga Governor Joseph Ndathi’s father Mzee Mithamo on Wednesday, Mr Kabogo insisted that regional leaders must meet with Mr Ruto and discuss a power sharing formula. Mr Kabogo was responding to remarks by the Kirinyaga Central Member of Parliament Gachoki Gitari who had challenged him to declare his stand on the 2013 pre-election agreement .

“Mr Ruto will be our sole preferred residential candidate after President Kenyatta’s two terms  expire but we would like to know where we shall be placed in the national government when the Deputy President takes over power,” said Mr Kabogo.

During the funeral Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua was jeered by mourners when she said she will continue supporting Cord.

Mr Kabogo’s comments have continued to elicit reactions from leaders. Rift leaders led by Kapseret MP Oscah Sudi, his Nandi Hills counterpart Alfred Keter and Speaker of Uasin Gishu County Assembly Isaac Terer termed Governor Kabogo’s remarks as outrageous and unfortunate.

They told off the governor and challenged him to state who gave him the mandate to speak on behalf of Mt Kenya electorates .

“Governor Kabogo to stop causing disunity and suspicion in the ruling Jubilee coalition,” said Mr Sudi.

They were speaking during the burial of businessman Mr William Ng’etich held at Cheptiret in Uasin Gishu County on Wednesday.

Kiambaa MP Paul Koinange accused Mr Kabogo of overstepping his mark and said only President Kenyatta has the mandate to chart the region’s political future.
“He should concentrate on Kiambu,” added Mr Koinange.

Athi Water Services chairman Wachira Keen condemned Mr Kabogo for the remarks saying he had no mandate to speak on behalf of voters from the region.

Additional reporting by Dennis Lubanga