Leave out Ruto Tunai critics told

Governor Samuel Tunai has warned his rivals against dragging the name of Deputy President William Ruto into leadership wrangles in Narok.

Speaking during a rally in Kilgoris Town, Mr Tunai, his deputy Everline Aruasa and two MPs told Senator Stephen ole Ntutu to stop linking the DP to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve revenue collection dispute.

The governor said on Monday that the office of the Deputy President must be respected.

“These leaders are peddling lies that briefcases with money collected from the reserve is usually taken to some national leaders. We dare them to name the three senators and MP whom they claim receive the money,” Mr Tunai said.

Ms Aruasa accused Senator Ntutu, MPs Patrick Ntutu (Narok West), Korei Lemein (Narok South), Johanna Ng’eno (Emurua-Dikkirr) and Moitalel ole Kenta (Narok North) of describing the DP as a junior politician who cannot handle the raging Narok leadership row.

“When they were seeking party nominations, they went kneeling to Mr Ruto. But now that the dispute has been referred to his office, they say he is junior.

“This is double-speak and the highest level of insincerity from leaders who were elected on a Jubilee Alliance ticket,” Ms Aruasa said.   
She said the Deputy President should be respected and should not be demeaned.

The deputy governor hit out at the anti-Tunai group for downplaying calls by the DP to have a united county.

SERIES OF MEETINGS

Governor Tunai is holding a series of meetings across the county to poke holes into his critics’ corruption allegations against him.
Narok East MP Ken Kiloku said the Deputy President is clean and should not be connected to the Narok wrangles.

At least 40 Members of County Assembly defended Mr Ruto, saying he is not to blame for the feuds in Narok.

Speaking on their behalf, Majority Leader Stephen ole Kudate, Finance Chairman Moses ole Samante, and Appropriation Committee Chairman Wilson ole Masikonte said they would fight the anti-Tunai group to the very end. They cautioned them that they risked losing their seats in 2017.

The leaders said that all the revenue collected from the park is intact and denied corruption claims against Governor Tunai.

“We play the oversight role in the county government, and we are saying the claims by the senator are null and void,” Mr Kudate said.

The MCAs said the Maasai Mara billions that have caused a tug of war between the governor and a group of MPs backing Senator Ntutu are safe and no cent has been lost through corrupt deals.

NO DEVELOPMENT
A one-time Trans Mara County Council Chairman Daniel Seitai said they would not bow down to anti-Tunai’s pressure, saying the senator has no development record for the many years he has been in power.

“Tarnishing the Deputy President’s name is like playing around with an electric wire,” Mr Seitai said.

Meanwhile, Mr Tunai have vowed to treat all residents equally in the distribution of resources.

Speaking at Chebara Primary School in Narok, he accused his critics of peddling clanism and ethnic patronage to divide residents. 

“I urge the colleagues criticising my leadership to live by their oath of office and serve all residents indiscriminately,” Mr Tunai said.

The governor accused Mr Ntutu, and MPs allied to him, who belong to the majority clan in Narok, of leading the onslaught against his leaderships, since he comes from the minority one.