Governor Ruto plans to hold four rallies upon return from SA

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto talks to reporters at Wilson Airport in Nairobi on November 7, 2016. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Governor Ruto was Tuesday last week flown to an undisclosed South African hospital after a nose injury during an altercation with police at Silibwet Stadium in Bomet County on November 6.  

  • Since then, the governor has received immense support with Bomet residents holding demonstrations in various towns in the county protesting what they said was harassment of Mr Ruto.

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto has planned four rallies on his return from South Africa where he has been receiving treatment following an altercation with police.

The governor will arrive in Kenya on Friday evening before rallies on Saturday and Sunday in Bomet and neighbouring Narok.

“Governor Ruto has been given the all-clear by doctors to travel back home on Friday. He will, however, go back to South Africa for another appointment with the ophthalmologist in mid-December,” Kiprotich Samoei, Bomet’s director of information, said in a statement.

Governor Ruto was on November 8 flown to a South African hospital after a nose injury during an altercation with police at Silibwet Stadium in Bomet County two days earlier.  

Since then, the governor has received immense support with Bomet residents holding demonstrations in various towns in the county protesting what they said was harassment of Mr Ruto.

Preparation for events to welcome the governor, who has been painted by his fellow governors and Bomet residents as an unfortunate victim of police brutality, are complete, Mr Samoei said.

On Saturday morning after landing, Governor Ruto will meet friends and family in Nairobi before a meeting with the Council of Governors.

He will then make stopovers in Narok and Ololung’a towns in neighbouring Narok county before being welcomed by his supporters in Mulot on the Narok-Bomet border.

PRAYER RALLY

The culmination will be a prayer rally at Bomet Stadium on Sunday.

At the prayer rally, which will start at 10am, Mr Samoei said, many “local and national leaders are expected to join Governor Ruto”.

“His supporters in Narok will host him for a meeting in Narok and Olulung'a towns, then he will be received at Mulot by Bomet county residents before being escorted home,” Mr Samoei said in a statement Wednesday.

Bomet residents this weekend held protests with bandages on their noses – where the governor was hurt- in solidarity against what they said was increasing cases of police brutality.

Governor Ruto fell out with Deputy President William Ruto, with the county boss turning to a bitter foe and one of his harshest critics in the Rift Valley.

He refused to join the newly formed Jubilee Party and instead formed Chama Cha Mashinani, a party he says will fight for devolution.

Governors had released a statement in which they accused the police of high-handedness in the altercation, which took place at Silibwet Stadium.

“The police service must not be used as a political weapon against dissenting voices in Kenya. Such acts are unacceptable and untenable,” Council of Governors Chairman Peter Munya said in the statement.