Governor Isaac Ruto sees Deputy President’s hand in Bomet demonstrations

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto has dragged in Deputy President William Ruto’s name in growing protests in his county and says the spate of demonstrations are  designed  to undermine his leadership. In the past two weeks,   rival groups, one allied to the governor and another to local Members of Parliament closely associated with the DP, have held parallel demonstrations.

Although the protests have been over the proposed site of the Bomet university,    the DP’s name popped up when the governor addressed his supporters during one of the demos he organised. He associated the DP with the protests at his backyard, and said two legislators — Bernard Bett (Bomet East) and his Bomet Central counterpart Ronald Tonui  — were working at the behest of the Deputy President to malign him.

“On December 23, the two MPs were part of a delegation at the DP’s rural home in Sugoi, Uasin Gishu County where they planned how to undermine the leadership of Bomet,” claimed the governor. The DP’s office has denied these claims.

The protests in Bomet have highlighted the battle for the control of the South Rift region, with fresh claims that the governor is trying to upstage the DP to become the  political kingpin of the Kipsigis. Last week, the legislators dismissed the governor’s claims and said  they were opposed to the destruction of buildings at the proposed site of a public university by the Bomet executive. The demonstrators had taken issue with the  relocation of the proposed university site to Sigor in Chepalungu sub-county.

 “We are setting the record straight that the demonstrations have nothing to do with the DP. The protests were called by residents of Bomet who are opposed to the governor’s attempts to bring down buildings near the proposed site,”    said Mr Bett.

Three days prior to the twin demonstrations,  youths from the county had staged a protest demanding that the Bomet East Sub-County Administrator and the Longisa Ward Administrator vacate the Longisa Youth Empowerment Centre.

Chart destiny

Political pundits says Governor Ruto, who also chairs the Council of Governors (COG), has been trying to chart his own political path away from the DP  who successfully rallied the Rift Valley region behind the Jubilee Coalition in the last General Election.

“The governor’s political activities point at one thing; he wants to be his own man. He wants to form an alternative centre of power in the Rift Valley region, especially the South Rift where he seeking support from the Kipsigis,” observed Symon Yatich, a political science lecturer at a local university.

Last year, the governor’s decision push for a referendum to have more funds allocated to counties put him on a collision course with the DP whose ruling coalition has resisted such calls. The so-called  Pesa Mashinani campaign pursued by the COG appeared to run out of steam when the National Government said it was ready to increase revenue allocation to counties without necessarily going through a referendum.

Governor Ruto’s close association with CORD leader Raila Odinga in the push for the referendum has led to speculation that he was angling to become Raila’s running mate in the 2017 General Election, claims that he has repeatedly denied. During the funeral of Fidel Odinga — Raila’s son who died   in his Nairobi home a fortnight ago— Ruto was among few Jubilee leaders allowed to address mourners.

And when he took the microphone, Ruto did not mince his words about his relationship with Raila and his commitment to press for a referendum. He said he would not be dissuaded to push for more money for counties.

Early last week Governor Ruto told  residents of Bomet town that the DP was keen to have power centralised in the National Government and only paid lip service to the devolution process

“We have known who the true supporters of devolution are. We are aware of meetings that have been held with the sole aim of undermining governors in the South Rift,” said Ruto.

Governor Ruto said the recent protests were an attempt to undermine his leadership and cripple the campaign to have more funds allocated to counties.

 “There have been more than five demonstrations   held in the last two days all aimed at pin pointing supposed shortcomings of my government. It cannot   be a coincidence  that this happening days after a visit to Sugoi,” said Ruto.

The governor is convinced that the DP wants have a firmer grip of Bomet and   entrench himself and his supporters  ahead of 2017 General Election. “We have seen a well coordinated scheme to undermine the county government of Bomet. We want to warn that we will also deal with these issues politically,” said Governor Ruto.

Although the two Rutos come from the same party,  they rarely see eye to eye. However, the DP has been able to consolidate his support in Rift Valley in recent months..

Widened rift

Governor Ruto’s push for increased  funding to the counties  has brought tensions in the United publican Party (URP). At one point last year, URP summoned   eight nominated MCAs from Bomet to appear before the party’s disciplinary committee at the party headquarters for allegedly supporting the governor.

Last week, local  MPs accused the governor of dragging the DP’s name in the matter  to deflect  attention from his poor leadership.

Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso, also the Sotik MP, said the governor was not in the same league with the DP and had  little influence over   the Kalenjin.

“What is happening in Bomet has got nothing to do with the DP or the unity of the Kalenjin. People are unhappy because the governor has refused to be asked questions. He is resorting to shenanigans and cheap politicking as a diversionary tactic to avoid the hard questions people are asking about his leadership,” said Ms Laboso.

Mr Tonui asked the governor to carry his own cross and stop blaming others for his shot comings.

“The governor should not justify his political survival by dragging the name of the DP. The ongoing demonstrations are a clear indication of mounting discontent against the governor’s leadership,” said Tonui.

Anamoi MP Benjamin Langat said  Governor Ruto was determined to undermine Kalenjin unity.    “Ruto is bound to fail because the Kalenjin will view his outbursts as being orchestrated to undermine William Ruto. The mood in the region is against any push that is seen to be undermining the DP,” said Mr Langat.