DP William Ruto told to act on conflicts within URP

From left:Kericho Woman Representative Hellen Chepkwony,William Cheptumo(Baringo North)and Baringo Woman Rep Grace Kiptui at Poi primary school in Baringo North,Baringo County on September 14,2014 during a church funds drive.

Deputy President William Ruto has been challenged to put his house in order following Monday’s public confrontation between his party’s Aden Duale and Isaac Ruto.

URP MPs and governors said the public conflict between Duale, the National Assembly majority leader, and Bomet Governor Ruto that played out before the DP in Narok was a wake-up call to the URP leader to resolve the conflict.

Some members asked the deputy president to urgently convene the party’s National Delegates Conference to reconcile its leaders following the rift occasioned by the divisive referendum campaigns.

Duale was also in trouble with Rift Valley MPs who accused him of disrespecting the region’s leaders, claiming his attack on Governor Ruto followed another earlier in the year targeting Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter, also for going against Jubilee government.

Yesterday, the governor, who is also the Council of Governors chairman, said he would take legal action against Duale if he did not apologise to him.

“This was personal and unnecessary slander on the person of my mother. I am demanding an apology or else I sue him,” he said.

CLARIFIED REMARKS

He was referring to remarks by Duale who dismissed his push for more county cash saying:

“Hii pesa ni ya wa Kenya sio ya mama yako bwana. Hii pesa sio ya baba yako.” (These funds belong to Kenyans. They are neither your mother’s nor your father’s).

But Duale clarified that his remark was not in any way intended to offend women because he was emphasising that leaders must be accountable for use of public funds.

“I was not making bad reference to the women of Kenya. I simply put it this way; that in Kenya there are two types of resources, private and public. Private resources belong to a family thus I made it clear that the resources of Bomet County do not belong to the family of Isaac Ruto which is represented by his mother and father,” Duale said.

Kuresoi South MP Zakayo Cheruiyot said the URP leadership should have consulted widely before taking a stand on whether or not to support the referendum calls.

“Only the Deputy President will have to deal with the outcome,” Cheruiyot said.

West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin regretted Duale’s remarks saying “such leaders are not adding any value to the Jubilee government”.

Kachapin said leaders should respect other people’s opinion, adding that there is nothing wrong with Ruto pressing for a referendum. “Such intolerance should not be accepted in the modern world, it is the highest degree of sycophancy,” he said.

Keter termed Duale’s remarks loose talk. “The Deputy President should not allow to be accompanied by such leaders. It is wrong to abuse elected leaders with such allegations,” Keter said.

Chesumei MP Elijah Lagat accused Duale of disrespecting the position taken by Governor Ruto on the referendum push. “We all have varied stands which ought to be respected by other leaders. The incident was unfortunate and not a first by Duale in this region,” he said.

THREAT TO PARTY

Kericho Woman Representative Hellen Chepkwony said the ensuing drama tarnished the DP’s image. “We need to sit down and look into our leadership. It is high time we dialogue,” said Ms Chepkwony.

Her Uasin Gishu counterpart Eusilah Ngeny said the public should be respected and leaders should guard against utterances that cause unnecessary divisions. Ngeny said both Duale and the governor were elected on a URP ticket and they ought to abide by the party rules.

Marakwet East MP Kangogo Bowen said: “Chest-thumping and arrogant Jubilee insiders should be moderated, lest they give those pushing for the referendum an upper hand with their irresponsible utterances that undermine other leaders’ dignity.”

“The proponents for additional funding to the counties by way of a referendum might carry the day due to unwarranted utterances and arrogance exhibited by Deputy President’s close allies who are inconsiderate of those with contrary views,” Bowen said.

Narok Deputy Governor Evalyn Aruasa said it was time the DP summons the party’s decision making organ to iron out the emerging differences that were a threat to the party’s future.

Aruasa, who has backed the referendum push, said the party should have consulted before reaching a decision. “URP has never met since we won the election. It is time the DP convenes a meeting of all leaders to iron out the differences,” she said.

Addressing the Press in Nakuru County, URP leaders from Nakuru and Kericho counties cited the heated confrontation between two top party leaders during a public meeting in Narok as a clear indication that the party needs to reconcile.

“It is now time for the Deputy President, as the party leader to move towards reconciling the warring factions brought about by the referendum push,” said Nakuru URP deputy chairman Jonathan Rono.

Bishop Dr Christopher Ruto of Eldoret Anglican diocese said leaders should be accountable for their utterances. “Duale and Governor Ruto should ensure they are accountable to the people in what they do and say. Their vows should be honest to the people and there should be no vendetta in public.”

Cheruiyot said besides the imminent fall-out in URP, the party also needs to discuss the conservation of the Mau Forest complex, which is under threat due to encroachment.

“The only structure to sort out the Mau forest issue can be done by empowering the four counties that share the natural resource and not through directives made in Nairobi,” he said, adding that Nakuru, Narok, Bomet and Kericho governors must be empowered to deal with the issue.