Kericho poll also a test of south and north Rift unity

The future of a united South and North Rift Valley voting block has now been dragged into the campaigns for the impending Kericho Senate by-election where the leading candidates and their backers are either vouching for unity or calling on the South Rift to go it alone and break away from the block.

And when Kericho voters cast their votes on March 7, they will be engaging in a referendum of sorts which could determine the political direction that the South Rift could take in the 2017 General Election and beyond.

Deputy President William Ruto has been drawing his political support from a united North and South Rift block, but with more complaints of alleged marginalisation by his government emanating from the south, a split could be imminent.

By backing the Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) candidate Aaron Cheruiyo, analysts say Kericho residents will be stamping and validating DP Ruto’s current political leadership in the region and vowing to ensure that the region remains under his control.

Should they support Kanu candidate Paul Sang, the electorate would likely be sending a message that they are abandoning Jubilee and charting a new political course as a result of the alleged neglect by the government.

In 2013, the Deputy President rode on an almost absolute support from the entire Rift Valley to bargain a 50-50 deal in the Jubilee government and for support at the top job in 2022.

The Kipsigis sub-tribe that resides mainly in Bomet and Kericho and with significant populations in Narok and Nakuru counties, is the largest voting bloc in there, forming approximately 60 per cent of the region’s vote.

SYMBOL OF REBELLION
Any movement by the sub-tribe to bolt out of the DP’s side could significantly hurt his political position in the coming elections.

Vocal and rebellious Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, the Kanu chairman, have placed themselves strategically to benefit from any such occurrence.

In the Kericho race, Kanu is backed by Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi, and Kenya National Union of Teachers secretary general Wilson Sossion.

The Friday win by Governor Ruto’s candidate in the Nyangores Ward by-election in Bomet against Jubilee’s candidate has bolstered the resolve by the two to snatch away the grasp of the South Rift from the DP.

Governor Ruto’s Andrew Maritim won by 4,988 votes against Jubilee’s Richard Leitich’s 3,029 votes.

Though small, the Nyangores by-election was a beehive of activity that saw Jubilee bigwigs led by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale and Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso pitch tent in the ward too, analysts said, “to stop Governor Ruto from getting a ticket to boast in a first of what will become an ugly supremacy battles between him and DP Ruto.”

Supporters of Mr Sang, a former Health Minister and two-term MP for Bureti, have been urging voters to use the election to “teach Jubilee a lesson” and send a clear message of their displeasure to President Uhuru Kenyatta and DP Ruto.

To disgruntled Kericho residents, Mr Sang has become the symbol of their rebellion against the ruling coalition who they accuse of ignoring the South Rift when it comes to distribution of National Government resources and government jobs.

ETERNAL UNITY

Mr Sang and his backers, including Governor Ruto and Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter, who have broken ranks with the Deputy President over his allegedly dictatorial and unilateral decision to dissolve URP, have been leading the onslaught, arguing that it was time for the South Rift to make a huge political statement.

Also in the Kanu campaign team is Emurua-Dikir MP Johana Ng’eno of the Kenya National Congress Party (KNC), who along with Mr Keter, are said to be planning to regularly attend Kanu’s campaign rallies ahead of the March 7 mini-poll.

The two MPs accused Jubilee of turning the South Rift into a campaign zone and ignoring it when doling out development projects across the country.

But Senate Deputy Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen, who is leading the Jubilee brigade in campaigning for Mr Cheruiyot, said the thought of the Kalenjin splitting up is “unconceivable” and would never happen while DP Ruto was still the region’s political kingpin.

The Elgeyo Marakwet Senator said the unity of the Kalenjin people must be maintained at all costs saying they represented 12 per cent of the Kenyan population.