Alfred Keter now wants pact revised to allow William Ruto seek top seat in 2017

Alfred Keter                    PHOTO/STANDARD

Kenya: Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter has challenged Deputy President and United Republican Party (URP) leader William Ruto to vie for the presidency in 2017, citing a raw deal by TNA in Jubilee coalition.

The outspoken MP claims Ruto should go his way because TNA members had perfected the habbit of sidelining  the URP camp in major government decisions. Keter said the Rift Valley that is dominantly URP has also been sidelined in development projects and appointments to plum State offices.

“We are significant partners in the Jubilee government and we expect to benefit just as our pre-election pact states,” he says.

According to Keter, the Jubilee leadership has deliberately failed to implement key projects in the Rift Valley including the construction of three major roads initiated by former President Kibaki but which have now stalled.

He cited Eldoret-Ziwa-Kachibora, Mosoriot-Kaiboi and Chepterit-Baraton roads as among the projects he says President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government has deliberately ignored while prioritising development in other regions.

 Stalled projects

“We cannot keep quiet when we see the contractors withdrawing their machinery from here due to lack of funds yet these projects had been approved by the national government. They should have prioritised funding of such projects,” the legislator added. He also raised concerns over what he termed total failure  by the government to resettle members of the Ogiek and Ndorobo communities evicted from Serengonik Forest 10 years ago with the promise of alternative settlement.

“I continue to urge that the government’s considers ressetling the Sererengonik evictees because all other people internally displaced were given places to rebuild their lives,” he added. Keter challenged Ruto to come out strongly and address issues raised by URP members in the coalition. “Our leader should read the signs. When you keep cattle, it is advisable that you sleep with an eye open lest your cows be carted away while in slumber. He should lead the way to reconsider the pre-election marriage agreement between TNA and URP,” he said. Keter added that that Ruto should seek the presidency in 2017 so that he leads for five years and returns the baton to Uhuru for another term in 2022.

“If Ruto is afraid to take the challenge let him delegate the mandate to me so that I vie for the top position in 2017,” he said, amid applause from Nandi residents.

However, Nandi Senator Stephen Sang called for sobriety and calm within the URP camp while discussing issues they feel should be corrected in the coalition.

“Let us not blow the appointments saga and other sticky issues out of proportion. We should exercise caution while representing our community so that the Opposition does not find a loophole to bring our house down,” he stated.

Sang called for national cohesion and unity when handling issues of national leadership, urging all leaders to support the Jubilee government in fulfilling  its pledges to the electorate.

The leaders were speaking at Kapsabet Boys High School during Nandi County’s inaugural education day where Chesumei MP Elijah Lagat, Julius Melly (Tinderet), Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana and host Governor Cleophas Lagat attended.