Uhuru tours Rift to quell URP protests over key jobs

President Uhuru Kenyatta Wednesday toured Eldoret Town where he addressed several roadside rallies as he moved to defuse rising political tension within the ruling Jubilee coalition caused by protests over the sharing of top public jobs.

However, the President kept off the issues surrounding the transfer of Mr Kiplimo Rugut from the National Youth Service and calls to sack Devolution Cabinet Secretary Ann Waiguru.

He instead dwelt on the government’s commitment to fight terrorism and improve security by recruiting additional police officers and providing them with modern equipment.

For the first time, President Kenyatta was in the Rift Valley region without his deputy, Mr William Ruto, who has been criticised for failing to speak out about Mr Rugut’s transfer. The Deputy President has in the past said that he was consulted over the matter and gave his approval. Yesterday, however, he remained in Nairobi to chair a Cabinet sub-committee meeting.

The Head of State made five stopovers at Maili Tisa, Huruma and Eldoret where he addressed rallies before he flew back to Nairobi.

Mr Kenyatta also said his government was not interested in preventing opposition rallies but called for fair criticism.

I WILL NOT BE BOTHERED

“Cord should be given an opportunity to bicker around; I will not be bothered with what they say since it will not give me sleepless nights,” he said.

The President maintained that critics would not prevent delivery of pre-election pledges made by the Jubilee Coalition whose main partners are his party, TNA and Mr Ruto’s URP.

“The government is firm and no one is going to scare us from our mandate of developing this nation. Let us not dwell on trivial matters and work together as a nation to move forward,” he said.

Mr Kenyatta also presided over a passing out parade at the Moi Barracks Recruits Training School in Uasin Gishu County.

The President was accompanied by MPs Oscar Sudi (Kapsaret), Sila Tiren (Moiben), Kangogo Bowen (Marakwet East), Eusila Ngeny (Uasin Gishu Women’s Rep); Uasin Gishu Senator Isaac Melly and Governors Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu) and Alex Tolgos (Elgeyo-Marakwet).

Several Rift Valley MPs have recently criticised the Jubilee government following the transfer of Mr Rugut and described the appointment of Dr Nelson Githinji to replace him as part of a ‘purge’.

Wednesday, Kuresoi South MP Zachayo Cheruiyot claimed that the ‘purge’ against public and state officials from the Rift Valley was much more than had already been seen.

“The Kalenjin are asking: What is the agenda of the Jubilee government towards the community in terms of its wellbeing? In South Rift today, tea prices are plummeting, yet nobody is showing any concern. Then there is the issue of security in the entire region, again nobody cares,” he said.

Mr Cheruiyot, who has been highly critical of Mr Ruto in recent weeks, said the region viewed the removal of Mr Rugut from NYS as a ‘purge’ planned by the government and warned that simplistic answers “like that of Ruto” really devastated the community.

Another Baringo MP said the situation on the ground was not good.

“If the replacement was a general or an assistant commissioner of police, it could have been different. But he was replaced by a person whose line of profession is totally different, a very big surprise,” said the legislator who did not want to be identified.