Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto call for Mandago support

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto ended their search for votes in the North Rift with what appeared to be a consolidation of support in Uasin Gishu after a week of turmoil and uncertainty.

The President asked members of the Kikuyu community living in the county not to provoke their neighbours by going against the wishes of the majority.

Tension has been rising in Uasin Gishu since the Jubilee Party's gubernatorial nomination in the county in April between supporters of Jackson Mandago, who is the current governor, and his rival Zedekiah Kiprop Bundotich, an independent candidate.

Mr Mandago had accused the Kikuyu of supporting his rival, saying it was not good for Jubilee Party unity.

The duo wrapped up their campaign tour of the region with a late evening procession in the town where they asked their supporters to turn up in large numbers and vote them back in August.

“We will not allow what happened here before to happen again. We want peace in our country. Politics centred on which tribe you come from is not acceptable,” said the President in town.

Earlier, the President and his deputy conducted parallel campaigns in the morning across Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo-Marakwet counties before holding a joint rally in Eldoret town.

The President started his day in Chesongoch in Kerio Valley, Elgeyo Marakwet where he defended his government’s development record as he asked for votes for his re-election.

However, a banditry attack occurred in a nearby village, barely five kilometres from Chesongoch in Kerio Valley where he addressed his first public meeting on Saturday. One person was injured and herds of livestock stolen when suspected Pokot bandits struck.

Kotut location Chief James Sirmo said suspected Pokot bandits raided Chebaria grazing fields in Kabetwa where they exchanged fire with Marakwet herders leading to the shooting of Robert Kareuno, 35 who sustained serious gunshot injuries on his right hand and was rushed to Chesongoch Mission Hospital.

When he addressed the meeting, President Kenyatta ignored the incident altogether and instead said his government had improved security and was committed to stamping out the menace.

After here he headed to Chepkorio, Keiyo South, where he enumerated various development projects initiated by his government saying, he deserved reelection to complete them.

In all the rallies he addressed Mr Ruto asked residents to vote for Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago.

POLITICAL DISCONTENT

DP Ruto disputed the claim that there is political discontent in the North Rift, a region considered a Jubilee Party strongholds.

Mr Ruto started his day in Kapseret where he urged residents to vote for Jubilee candidates.

 He went on to ask Bundotich to abandon his bid for the seat and support Governor Mandago.
“I want to ask Mr Buzeki to accept that he was defeated by Governor Mandago and he should now abandon his gubernatorial bid and support Mandago,” said the DP amid cheers from the crowd.

Governor Mandago disputed claims levelled against him that he is tribal, saying he was a governor for all.
“We the leaders of Uasin Gishu are not tribal as it is claimed out there. We are peace loving people and that is why Uasin Gishu is a cosmopolitan county,” said Mr Mandago.
His sentiments were echoed by Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi who said that the region had healed after the deadly 2007/ 2008 Post-Election violence.