Bomet URP officials finally solve delegates’ stalemate

Bomet Senator Prof. Wilfred Lesan has revealed that United Republican Party (URP), Bomet branch will send 20 members to the National Delegates Meeting to be held from September 8th to 10th this year in Nairobi.

While speaking on Monday at a party meeting at Sotik Pastoral Catholic Centre, Prof. Lesan said four members from the county’s five constituencies each namely Chepalungu, Sotik, Bomet Central, Bomet East and Konoin, will attend the National Meeting.

The senator disclosed that five members had been replaced; two of them public servants and three had joined other political parties.

He pointed out that URP members had met to prepare a harmonized list of members to attend the convention and also solve delegate issues that had arose following a dissent of some URP members in the region over the composition of URP delegates to represent the party in Nairobi during the national meeting.

The meeting was attended by among others the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and Sotik MP Dr. Joyce Laboso, Bomet Deputy Governor Mr. Stephen Mutai, Bomet County Assembly Speaker Mr. Geoffrey Korir and Former assistant Minister Mrs. Beatrice Kones.

“We have deliberated on many issues and amicably solved most of the issues that were raised and the most contentious issue raised was about the delegates going to Nairobi for the National convention,” he said.

He added that some URP members had joined other parties and it was necessary to correct the list of delegates so as to reflect the true position of the party in the region ahead of the crucial convention that will be used to officially launch the Jubilee Party.

Prof. Lesan stated that the 20 delegates who had been elected will represent the interests of the URP during the convention.

“We are happy and excited that we will move on to new party and I believe our party will be very strong,” Prof. Lesan said.

Prof. Lesan said after the meeting in Nairobi an interim board of officials will steer the party and liaise with the National officials in setting up structures that will ensure everybody is listened to and brought on board.

The new party, he said, will form the next government and will try as much to bring many people to the fold and form the next government.

Before the Monday’s meeting, officials from the region had differed on who should be on the list to attend the conference.

According to the branch executive officer Mr. Jonathan Langat, five of the officials had been replaced since they had been engaged as public servants on various capacities by the county government.

He said one of the delegates Mr. Nicholas Kirui who was the County Deputy Organizing Secretary from Chepalungu Sub County was replaced since he was an employee with the county.

He added that another delegate Mrs. Nancy Malel had been replaced too for being a government official. Mr. Philemon Yegon and Andrew Kirui were also replaced in the new list having decamped to other parties.

Mr. Langat clarified that the row on the list of delegates started after the branch had prepared a list of names and which was rejected by the local MPs who insisted that it consisted of some officials who had decamped to Chama Cha Mashinani a party formed by area governor Isaac Ruto.

Bomet deputy governor Mr. Stephen Mutai who is also the region’s URP chairperson had dismissed allegations that there were differences between local MPs over the selection of URP delegates in the region.

He said officials who have been appointed to other positions in the government had been replaced since they had become public servants and must maintain neutrality.

“In the list of delegates that have been selected to the conference was genuinely done between the party’s officials and area MPs.” he noted.

Mr. Mutai said the listed delegates will become members of the interim county nominations board moments after the conference ahead of the next general elections which will see URP and TNA with its affiliate parties going for the poll under Jubilee party on dissolution of other parties.

Mr. Langat said all officials must abide by the rules of the party and those discovered to have attended the meetings organized by former officials to popularize other political parties will all be replaced. This is after word went round that former party officials left out of the delegates list had entered into a pact with CCM to invite URP ward officials from the county’s 25 wards to CCM launch in Bomet town on September 10 this year to coincide with the end of Jubilee Party national convention in Nairobi.