Leaders threaten to leave Jubilee over 'humiliation'

Narok Senator Stephen ole Ntutu speaks at Milimani Law Courts

Narok County leaders, who were last week arrested and charged in connection with a violent demonstration against Governor Samuel Tunai have said they are reconsidering their support for the Jubilee coalition.

Senator Stephen ole Ntutu among other leaders said Sunday they might soon leave the coalition, accusing it of taking sides in the ongoing leadership wrangles in the county and arresting and charging them for opposing the governor's leadership.

Although they did not specify the party they would move to, they said their support for the coalition is growing thin.

"The kind of humiliation we received doesn't befit our status. We are weighing our options because we are not going to stay in a coalition with this kind of humiliation when we were simply asking for accountability from the governor," said Ntutu.

The senator and MPs Moitalel Kenta (Narok North), Korei Lemein (Narok South), Patrick Ntutu (Narok West) and Johana Ngeno (Emurwa Dikir) said they were not being treated like elected leaders, accusing the Government of taking sides in the county's leadership divide.

"Instead of it being an impartial arbitrator, it is taking sides. How does it expect us to support it?" asked Senator Ntutu who met Deputy President William Ruto on Saturday and he (the deputy president) reportedly tried in vain to urge him to consider dialogue with the governor.

The leaders were speaking during interdenominational prayers presided over by the Right Reverend Jackson Sapit of the Anglican Church of Kenya, which were attended by former Heritage Minister William ole Ntimama.

They gave the Government seven days to arrest security personnel responsible for shooting dead Sikona Muntet during last Monday's violent protest against the governor over alleged mismanagement of the county.

They claimed county rangers were given guns to disperse the demonstration contrary to the agreement that they be disarmed prior to the demonstration, and accused the county security committee of allegedly being partisan.

"Before the demonstration we demanded the rangers be disarmed. At the behest of another politician, they were not. We will continue with our protest until those responsible for the killings and those who earlier gave them orders to shoot are held to account," said Ngeno.

At a charged meeting held at Olosiusiu grounds near Ewaso Nyiro trading centre, Narok North, that was attended by hundreds of residents, the lawmakers said they are law abiding citizens.

Muntet will be buried Monday in Esupetai, Narok West in a ceremony where Coalition for Reforms and Democracy luminaries led by Raila Odinga, will attend.

They accused Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaiserry of taking sides in the three-month-old wrangles.

Narok West MP said the Maasai community would co-exist peacefully with other communities in Narok and asked the Government not to "divide the people of the region along clan and tribal lines".