MPs back Ruto in row with governor

MPs from Bomet and Kericho counties have sided with Deputy President William Ruto in his political battle with Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto.

The 10 MPs, led by National Assembly Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso and Kericho Senator Charles Keter, accused the governor of disparaging elected leaders.

They also accused the governor, whose county is among those that have spent the highest percentage of funds on development, of failing to concentrate on his mandate.

“We know who Isaac Ruto works for, whom he works with and what he is after,” said Dr Laboso.

The Bomet governor has in the past been linked with Cord and its leader, Mr Raila Odinga.
“Take it from us, Isaac will go and he can join Raila and his team,” said Mr Keter.

Mr Keter told journalists that Mr Ruto faced a tough contest in the March 2013 General Election.

But speaking to the Nation by phone from Sweden, the Bomet governor dismissed the lawmakers.

“It does not bother me at all. We don’t need MPs to win any elections. Dogs are known to bark close to where the owner is. I want to ask the owner to put them back in the kennels, where they belong,” said Mr Ruto.

LOST THE GOODWILL

He said since Jubilee was defeated in the Kajiado Central by-election despite having the entire government machinery at its disposal, it was clear that the coalition had lost the goodwill of the electorate.

Mr Ruto said he would not waste time on what the MPs thought and asked them to concentrate on development and fulfil their mandates as elected representatives.

In Parliament, Dr Laboso said the governor “should not waste his time on a fool’s errand that will backfire on him sooner or later.”

Mr Keter said the legislators are not worried about announcements by the governor and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi that they are planning to contest the presidency in the 2017 General Election.
“There have been other candidates: Peter Kenneth, Martha Karua, Dida …They can join them,” said Mr Keter.

Asked whether she would contest the Bomet governor’s seat in 2017, Dr Laboso declined to comment. She said she was currently busy playing her roles as Sotik MP and Deputy Speaker.
“The governor has defiled his mandate by turning against the movement that brought him to power and undermining the goodwill of the people of Bomet by persisting (in discrediting) Jubilee and its leadership,” the MPs said in a statement read by Dr Laboso (Sotik, URP).