Give Isaac Ruto a Cabinet job: Governor Joyce Laboso

Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso and her predecessor Isaac Ruto at a past function. She has asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to appoint him to the Cabinet. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The governor said Isaac Ruto is a capable worker and deserves a Cabinet job.
  • I will support him and ensure he gets something worthwhile, she told Bomet residents.

Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso has urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to appoint her predecessor Isaac Ruto to the Cabinet.

Dr Laboso drummed up support for Mr Ruto, saying “he is young, vibrant and a capable worker.”

JOB

She was speaking on Sunday in Mr Ruto’s constituency, Chepalungu, where she joined congregants at African Gospel Church, Siongiroi Sinai.

“Find something at least for him. We are not selfish people, we are not sadists to wish that anyone perishes. We want as many of Bomet people to get an opportunity wherever they can,” said the governor.

She was accompanied by Chief Executive Officer for Education Juliana Yegon and area MCA Leonard Kirui.

SUPPORT

Dr Laboso told worshippers that she would lobby for Mr Ruto.

“I will support him in any way I can to ensure he gets something worthwhile and I have told him as much. He knows that I support him,” she said.

The governor also sought to calm residents’ anger and outcry over the failure by the president to include any individual from the region in the lists for Cabinet and ambassadors that was read out on Friday.

She assured them that the government would not forget Bomet residents.

“We will talk to William (Deputy President Ruto), but we know he has not forgotten about us. You know he loves us, he loves Bomet and he has some plans for us,” said the governor.

ELECTION

Dr Laboso, who vied on the Jubilee Party ticket, beat Mr Ruto in the August 8 election to emerge the first woman governor in Rift Valley.

Mr Ruto ran on his Chama Cha Mashinani Party ticket, which supported the National Super Alliance (Nasa).

However, after losing in the election, he made an about-turn and backed Mr Kenyatta during the repeat polls on October 26, 2017.

On Saturday, Bomet MCAs led by Majority Leader Josephat Kirui took issue with Mr Kenyatta’s failure to “reward their political loyalty” with a Cabinet position.

“The president knows the fight we had in bringing back Bomet from the hands of the opposition. Denying us Cabinet posts leaves a bad taste amongst Jubilee supporters here,” said Mr Kirui.

Mr Alfred Langat (Singorwet Ward) said: “We worked so hard to hunt in Jubilee, but we have not gotten any share of the meat, not even horns.”