‘Total Man’ last mission was to unify his people

National Vision Party chairman Nicholas Biwott addresses the party's dinner meeting at a hotel in Eldoret on June 8, 2012. FILE PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • In 2007, he was defeated by a political newcomer, Mr Jackson Kiptanui, in the race for Keiyo South MP.
  • In Bomet in May 2015 when President Uhuru Kenyatta visited the region alongside his deputy William Ruto, Mr Biwott spoke at length on the need for unity.

Nicholas Biwott’s last mission appeared to have been to bring the Kalenjin sub-tribes together.

Having enjoyed unquestioned authority during President Moi’s era, the politician’s loss in the 2007 and 2013 elections seemed to have finally sent him on another course: Kalenjin unity.

In 2007, he was defeated by a political newcomer, Mr Jackson Kiptanui, in the race for Keiyo South MP.

Five years later, he lost to yet another newcomer, lawyer Kipchumba Murkomen, in the Elgeyo-Marakwet senatorial race.

UNITY

He kept a low profile from then on and whenever he appeared in public, his key talking points were mostly on the unity of the Kalenjin sub tribes — Kipsigis, Nandi, Tugen, Marakwet, Keiyo, Sabaot, Pokot and Terik.

In Bomet in May 2015 when President Uhuru Kenyatta visited the region alongside his deputy William Ruto, Mr Biwott spoke at length on the need for unity.

“Who among you agree that as Kalenjin people we should hold hands and keep our unity and peace?

Who is Kalenjin’s cornerstone now..., isn’t it (William) arap Ruto? If we don’t support him, the (Kalenjin) house will come down,” said the former powerful minister.

ISAAC RUTO

The Deputy President has been facing a serious onslaught from his namesake, Governor Isaac Ruto.

The endorsement was significant considering that the DP was behind the ODM wave in the Rift Valley that swept aside Mr Biwott in 2007.

“As Kalenjins, when we have issues, we sit down and talk about them,” he said.

The community has been hit by supremacy battles since 2013 pitting three leaders — the Deputy President, Baringo Senator Gideon Moi and Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto.

MOI CONFIDANT
During the burial for Mark Too, another Kanu-era politician early this year, Mr Biwott was more outright, saying Kalenjins were interested in supporting one of their own.
“Kalenjins are not interested in many things. When they have installed someone as their leader, they fully support him.

They were behind Moi for many years,” he said.

Mr Biwott was the last of former President Moi’s political confidants in the Rift Valley following the demise of two others over the last four years.

The others were former Nominated MP Ezekiel Barng’etuny and Kanu-era politician Mark Too.

KEIYO SOUTH
Eulogising, Mr Biwott on Tuesday, Mr Moi stated that he had known him since the 1950s.

Mr Biwott was Keiyo South Constituency MP for 28 years until December 2007.