President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto turned their wrath on Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, accusing him of sabotaging projects instead of serving Kenyans.
The Jubilee leaders also dismissed claims that their support in the Rift Valley was waning, saying their development record spoke for itself.
The President took issue with the governor, accusing him of opposing the construction of the proposed Bomet University College.
He said: “In 2014, I issued a title deed for the university after consultations with leaders. We converted a 40-acre land which was then under the Ministry of Agriculture. I was shocked to hear your governor wanted the same land for a dump site.”
The President defied a court order and laid a foundation stone for the university on a disputed 43-acre land. He said Attorney General Githu Muigai would be enjoined in a court case involving the land.
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“I want to ask my friend, Governor Ruto, to go back to court and withdraw the case to allow this construction to continue. This university will not only provide higher education to local students but also boost business in this area,” he said.
Uhuru said the government had allocated Sh400 million for the construction of the university.
The President also used the tour to drum support for Jubilee, asking locals to ignore an attempt by the Bomet Governor to lure them into joining the Opposition.
Jubilee critic
The governor, who recently formed his own political party, Chama cha Mashinani, is a fierce critic of the Jubilee regime.
Uhuru assured residents that he would support Ruto’s presidential bid in 2022.
He said claims that Ruto was facing opposition in his backyard was a creation of the media. “The warm reception I have received today is enough evidence that the people of Bomet are still backing Jubilee and my brother William. What we see in the media is mere propaganda being pushed to create a false perception that Jubilee was losing support,” the President told a cheering crowd at Longisa in Bomet East. During the trip, Governor Ruto skipped three functions.
He was left waiting for hours at the Longisa County Hospital as the President’s schedule changed at the last minute. As Uhuru moved to launch the construction of Chebole-Chebunyo-Dikirr road, the governor, who was then at the hospital left for a separate function. When the President toured the facility to launch hospital equipment in the afternoon, the governor was not in attendance.
The DP assured the President that the South Rift was fully behind the Jubilee Party and that the region would continue benefiting from State projects..
“The Jubilee government has launched road projects worth more than Sh10 billion in Bomet County. We don’t want to leave Bomet behind in our quest to develop the region,” he said.
He called on Bomet residents to reject the Opposition’s agenda.
He said Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso and Dr Julius Kones will battle it out for the Bomet gubernatorial seat for the Jubilee ticket and asked the residents to make the right choice. Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said instead of launching development projects, Governor Ruto was busy popularising his party. “As other governors are launching development projects, your governor is opening party offices,” he said.
Laboso said local leaders had fought hard to have the university built in Bomet town.
“Today’s event is a culmination of long fight to have a university here in Bomet. We have been teargassed during this fight but we are happy our children will finally have university,” she said.
Narok governor Samuel Tunai, Leader of Majority Aden Duale, area Senator Wilfred Lesan and other leaders were present. The President said Jubilee government is interested in developing the country unlike Opposition leaders who were jostling for positions.
