Uhuru may be president for only one term, says governor

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto said Saturday the Jubilee administration risked being a one-term presidency saying it has failed to fully embrace devolution and reneging on pre-election promises.

Mr Ruto accused the Jubilee Alliance top leadership of abandoning the issues captured in their manifesto as soon as they ascended to power in 2013.

“The Jubilee administration has transformed some of us who were its greatest supporters into its fiercest critics due to the failure to deliver on the issues in the manifesto and scuttling devolution,” Mr Ruto stated.

He said if Jubilee continues to scuttle devolution and perpetuate skewed allocation of resources, then President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto are staring at a one-term presidency.

He said: “If they do not devolve all the functions as required by the Constitution, then I can assure them that we will divorce politically and move around the country mobilising people to reject them in the next General Election,”

Speaking outside the Bomet County Assembly shortly after the swearing-in of newly-elected Nyangores Ward representative Andrew Maritim, Mr Ruto said a new political wind was sweeping across Rift Valley and would be replicated in most parts of the country ahead of the next General Election.

“Where are the 10,000 kilometres of tarmac road, employment of one million youths and other infrastructural projects promised ahead of the last General Election ... I am ashamed this government is only making promises and no action to match them,” Mr Ruto said.

He said the budget presented by the Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich was not aligned to the Jubilee manifesto.

On Kalenjin unity, the Bomet governor said some leaders were bandying a tribal card and using the community to advance selfish financial interests.

“The wind of change sweeping across Rift Valley is unstoppable as the region is finally embracing full tenets of democracy,” he said.

“Those telling us we are dividing the people by taking on Jubilee should know that as Kalenjin sub-tribes we are joined together by language, culture and kinship, but politics is a totally different game.”

WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT
He added: “We are not interested in tribalism and we have nothing against Kisii, Luo, Kikuyu, Kamba, Giriama or any other tribe because we are also Kenyans. All we are asking for is good governance,” Mr Ruto said.

He said the swearing-in of the new member of the assembly “is both historic and signifies the emancipation of voters from the iron grip of dominant political forces.”

“It has ignited a wave of courage by Kenyans to assert their power over dictatorial and arrogant forces out to impose their will,” Mr Ruto said. 

Mr Ruto said youth structures have been formed and “we are currently building capacity for the youth to participate more significantly in the formulation and implementation of government programmes particularly youth activities”.

He said participation of women in social, political and economic development will be enhanced through new structures that are non-partisan and issue oriented.

“It is my expectation that the Assembly will co-operate with the Executive to deliver our development agenda and I urge honourable Members to be positive in their attitude and contributions.”

Earlier Mr Ruto had told the assembly members that “it is a great opportunity for the people to oversee development in their own areas”.

“Devolution is a new phenomenon and none of us have had the experience on this process before, we have made mistakes in the process but moving forward with the experience we have gained, the same will be corrected,” he noted.

The governor at the same time reminded the representatives that they should be focused on the needs of the electorate.

Mr Korir told the governor “We are ready as an Assembly to work together”.

Mr Maritim was escorted to the chamber for the swearing-in ceremony by Longisa Ward representative Stephen Changmorik and his Township counterpart Robert Metet.