Deputy President William Ruto's allies met Jubilee supporters from Emurua Dikirr constituency on Monday in a scheme to ensure that area MP Johana Ng’eno is not re-elected in the 2017 general election.
The meeting for the members of Kipsigis community from the constituency was held at Saparingo village in the neighbouring Kilgoris constituency and was attended by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and Ruto’s Personal Assistant Farouk Kibet.
The group was hosted by Narok Governor Samuel Tunai who was accompanied by Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkulal and Narok East MP Ken Kiloku.
The meeting was in an effort to popularise Jubilee aspirant for the seat David Keter popularly known as 'Dola Line'.
The DP also held a private meeting with Emurua Dikirr residents early this year at the same venue where he addressed a delegation of over 500 people from the constituency.
This was after the Narok Governor had held two similar meetings at the same venue.
Keter, a businessman, emerged second in the 2013 general election behind Ng’eno despite the massive support he got from the Deputy President and the Narok Governor.
Murkomen told the over 800 Jubilee supporters that rebels from Rift Valley are out to undermine Ruto’s chances of being President in 2022.
He asked the Kalenjin community to ensure that those opposed to Jubilee are not re-elected in 2017.
"The leaders from our community who are busy undermining and criticising the DP are being used by outsiders who do not want to see Ruto becoming the next President after Uhuru’s second term in office comes to an end in 2022," said Murkomen.
Governor Lenolkulal said that 99% of Samburu county residents are supporting the Jubilee government and that should be the trend in the entire Rift Valley.
He said this should be because they cannot afford to embarrass the Deputy President at his backyard.
"The DP will be President in 2022. It will be ironic that some people in his home region are the ones who are out to derail him from attaining that goal. However, they are bound to fail since the people have noticed their plans in advance," said Lenolkulal.
Tunai said a Jubilee candidate must win the Emurua Dikirr MP seat in 2017 since the current MP, who was elected on a Kenya National Congress party ticket, has been busy fighting the national and .
"Emurua Dikirr constituency residents will continue to suffer in poverty if they re-elect Ng’eno as their MP. He is not in good terms with the national and county governments which are responsible for bringing development to the people," said Tunai.
The meeting took place barely four days after Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto opened a Chama Cha Mashinani Party offices in Dikirr Township.
He later addressed a mammoth rally at Emurua Dikirr Primary School grounds on Friday.
Governor Rutto, accompanied by Ng’eno, urged the area residents to join the CCM party which was championing the equitable distribution of national resources to the counties.
During the CCM rally, Ruto and Ng’eno accused the DP of trying to intimidate elected leaders from the Kalenjin community who have divergent opinions.
"We will not be bullied into blindly supporting him," Rutto said.
Read: