Rift Valley leaders bury the hatchet for the sake of Ruto

The leaders address a press conference after the meeting to resolve their differences. [Standard Digital]

The simmering internal strife within Jubilee Party has been nipped at the bud.

This is after a group of Rift Valley MPs on Wednesday night reached a conclusion to bury the hatchet and work together for the common good of the Jubilee family.

The over 40 lawmakers emerged from a five hour meeting and declared that the ceasing of hostilities between Senate Majority Leader  Kipchumba Murkomen and a group of MPs led by   Joshua Kutuny(Cherangany ), Nandi Hills  counterpart  Alfred Keter and his moiben counterpart Silas Tiren.

The caucus also agreed to have a resolve the mistrust that was beginning to emerge within Jubilee and reach out to the Mount Kenya leaders to cement their once good relationship.

The five hour stormy quarterly meeting held in the midst of the accusation and counteraccusations among its members agreed to ensure unity of purpose that would increase the chances of Deputy President William Ruto to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta after the end of his second term in office.   

Differences between Murkomen and the three MPs had threatened to boil over, with the trio laying grounds before the Wednesday for removal of Elgeyo Marakwet senator as the leader of the regional caucus.

Before the meeting, it was reported that Tiren and Keter alongside their allies had planned to axe Murkomen as the caucus chair and replace him with Soy MP Caleb Kositany, a key ally of Deputy President William Ruto. 

The planned coup against Murkomen did not however happen, with sources who attended the meeting saying that the group sorted out the issue amicably after the Senate Majority leader promised to be consultative in future.

There was a moment of laughter and gaity when Murkomen and Kuttuny heartly greated and agreed to work together.

At the session which reportedly at one point became heated, legislators from the region are said to have slammed the Senate Majority Leader for what they termed as speaking recklessly.

Also censured were Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and their counterparts  Cornelly Serem( Aldai), Tiren and Keter for their vitriolic statements to the media.

Serem has been in the news lately after he sensationally linked the younger brother of President Uhuru Kenyatta to sugar importation.

During the meeting, Ainabkoi MP William Chepkut is understood to have given the rouble-rousing legislators from the region a thorough tongue lashing, noting that they need to stop making remarks that will antagonize the relationship between President Kenyatta and his deputy.

“The reckless talks some of us are making should stop immediately.  The President and his deputy are both symbols of national unity and should be respected by everyone.  Even if we do not agree with them, we have to support them,” Chepkut is reported to have said.

MPs Robert Pukose(Endebess), Hilary Koskey (Kipkelion East) and    Nelson Koech (Belgut) confirmed that the issue of unity between the region leaders dominated discussions.

They dismissed claims that some disgruntled elements within them are plotting to form a splinter party.

“We agreed to stop talking about 2022 and start focusing on helping the President and his Deputy to achieve the big four agenda and development,” Pukose, a key ally of the DP Ruto from the North Rift.

Koskey said: “We reached an agreement that none of us should speak about an issue that has collective consequences on the whole community. Before any of us does that, they should consult first. The reckless talks must come to an end.”

Baringo North MP William Cheptumo is said to have told the legislators that any squabbles between themselves and with other leaders would only go a long way to hurt Ruto’s chances for 2022 presidency.

“The moment we continue with the persona attacks we will have given our opponents ammunitions to fight us, we must remain united and focused,” Cheptumo is said to have said and the statement supported by Eldama Ravine MP Moses Lessonet.

“Those who make personal and reckless statements should be should not purport to do so on behalf of the Deputy President and should insist that it was their own positions,” lessonet told the meeting.

Yesterday, Murkomen said the event had achieved to unite them, noting that the leaders had agreed to totally be loyal and committed to the founding vision of the Jubilee movement. 

“This commitment calls for vigilance and total rejection of all elements, ideas and attempts to undermine the vision, or sabotage our leadership, or divide our people. We cannot be loyal to the Jubilee leadership while at the same time condoning retrogressive, destructive and divisive agendas,” he explained.

He declared that the meeting achieved it's purpose of strengthening our resolve to assist His Excellency the President and His Excellency the Deputy President in rallying all efforts towards building a strong, united and prosperous Kenya through our party's manifesto.