KITALE: Deputy President William Ruto for the second day encountered a hostile crowd as he toured Trans-Nzoia County where he took the voter registration campaign on Tuesday.
Tension was high in Kiminini Township, his first stop, in the County before Ruto's arrival when Ford Kenya and Jubilee youths faced off before the local security team led by County Commissioner Ann Gakuria acted swiftly and intervened to calm both sides of the supporters.
A chopper carrying the DP, which was supposed to land at Masaba primary school grounds within Kiminini Township was forced to land at Kitale Members Club as security team sorted the tension.
There were some exchange of words between police officers and a group of youths who were singing in support of Ford Kenya as they tried to barricade the road leading to Masaba primary school grounds where the DP had landed.
The crowd at the Kiminini stage burst into jubilation when area Ford Kenya MP Dr Chris Wamalwa emerged a top his vehicle as Ruto's convoy snaked into the area from the school.
The DP braved the hostile reception from the Ford Kenya youths and addressed the crowd urging residents to register in large numbers as voters.
Ruto listed development projects initiated by Jubilee administration in the area including the construction of the Kitale-Kakamega road amid shouts of Ford Kenya that rent the air from the crowd.
"For less than four years, Jubilee has made strides to ensure Kenyans are supplied with electricity and provision of free education to untie parents from the burden of raising money to pay school levies," Ruto said.
He lured the residents to join the Jubilee promising that more development projects by the government were underway.
"Let us walk with the government to enable the country move forward. We have done more than what has not been achieved since independence," Ruto told the crowd.
Ruto appeared incensed by remarks by Dr Wamalwa who said Jubilee should stop wasting time luring residents of Trans Nzoia who he calimed were deeply in the Opposition.
Dr Wamalwa told Ruto to his face that Jubilee has no room in Trans Nzoia singling out his Kiminini constituency.
"Your Excellency, we love you and we appreciate development projects initiated by the Jubilee government in the county but the truth of the matter is that this is an opposition zone and JP should stop wasting time luring residents," Wamalwa told the DP.
In apparent criticism to Jubilee's laptop project, Dr Wamalwa told Ruto that Masaba primary school where he landed had not received the gadgets.
The DP dismissed remarks by Dr Wamalwa arguing that his statement were 'personal and not the political position of the locals'.
"What do you mean that Jubilee has no room here? That is your personal statement and does not represent the feeling of the locals," Ruto hit at the MP.
At one moment, a furious Ruto told off a Ford Kenya youth who tried to shout down Women representative Janet Nangabo.
"Who forced you to attend this meeting? You should have stayed away at your home instead of coming to heckle leaders," Ruto retorted before his convoy left for Kitalale.
Nangabo accused Dr Wamalwa of 'planning the heckling attack' on the DP and termed the incident as 'primitive'.
"How can you do this? This is unacceptable. It is primitive to incite youth to humiliate other elected leaders," a visibly angry Nangabo told Dr Wamalwa in local dialect.
Ruto was accompanied by Saboti MP Mr David Lazaro, Jubilee Gubernatorial aspirant Maurice Bisau, Senators Kithure Kindiki (Tharaka Nithi) and Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet).
Murkomen hit out at Dr Wamalwa accusing him of misleading Kenyans over the performance of Jubilee administration.
