Kericho assembly gets new Majority Leader, Whip

Kapsuser MCA Peter Kemoi, the newly elected Kericho County Assembly majority whip, speaking to The Standard on January 8, 2023, in Nakuru City during a meeting with the MCAs. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

For the third time in a span of five months, Kericho county assembly MCAs picked a new Majority Leader and Majority Whip.

This time around, the MCAs went for a two-day retreat in Nakuru where the new assembly leadership was unveiled.

Kamasian MCA Philip Rono alias 'Safaricom,' is the new Majority Leader while his Kapsuser counterpart Peter Kemoi is the Majority Whip.

The previous House leadership quit following wrangles and opposition.

Speaking on Sunday evening after the meeting, Deputy Speaker Eric Bett said Rono and Kemoi are the genuine UDA leaders in the assembly.

Bett noted that 27 out of 44 MCAs agreed to rally behind the two in order to end wrangles that began after the August 9, 2022, General Election.

"We have agreed in a consensus with the majority that the two will represent us at the assembly. The leadership had been marred with wrangles and we do not want to go back there,"he said.

He blamed wrangles in the assembly on greed and a force from the outside.

"The party submits that there is democracy in our leadership and no outside force will be allowed to meddle with the leadership," he said.

Rono said he was ready to lead and called on the House leadership to join hands and serve the people of Kericho.

He said he was ready to unite the assembly with the executive to work as a team.

"I trust my colleagues and those who were previously appointed to unite. I want us to forgive each other and I made a promise that there will be no more wrangles," he said.

Kemoi said it was time to preach peace and offered to take advice from the previous leadership.

When the assembly resumed after the General Election, Londiani ward MCA Vincent Korir was picked as the Majority Leader, while Haron Rotich the Majority Whip.

However, in November, the MCAs voted Kapsoit MCA Paul Chirchir alias Tarimbo as the new Majority Leader, while Kisiara MCA Gilbert Ngetich the Majority Whip.

This prompted the Deputy Speaker to write a letter to UDA dated November 10, 2022, seeking clarification on purported changes at the county assembly.

Korir and Rotich were reappointed and Bett petitioned Speaker Patrick Mutai to resign for allegedly perpetuating impunity.

Korir said he was shocked to learn the changes were made while he was away attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt.

The former Majority Leader and Majority Whip sparked wrangles in the assembly that caught the attention of President William Ruto.

Ruto directed the MCAs to meet and resolve the matter.

Bett supported the removal of Korir and Rotich from the leadership, saying they were the cause of the wrangles.

Additional report by Nikko Tanui