Kanu leaders from West Pokot on Thursday criticised Deputy President William Ruto for trying to control the county’s politics.
Led by West Pokot Senator John Lonyangapuo and Civil Aviation Authority chairman Samuel Poghisio, they accused Ruto of meddling in the county’s affairs and told him to keep off and respect elected leaders.
Speaking in Seker, the leaders said the DP has been sending some leaders to the county to insult and silence elected leaders. They urged the DP to allow residents to choose leaders and political parties of their choice, instead of forcing them to join the Jubilee Party and imposing leaders on residents.
“As a community, we shall not accept it,” Lonyangapuo said.
The leaders said they will support President Uhuru Kenyatta’s reelection but do not want brokers in the county.
“We want Uhuru to come out himself and seek votes. We don’t trust brokers who claim to come from this county. Uhuru must negotiate with us afresh and engage us directly,” the senator said.
“We have a senator from the neighbouring county of Elgeyo Marakwet. He is sent here with money to insult leaders. He has even been chased away from his county. He has been insulting me and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi.”
They accused Ruto of denying residents employment opportunities. Poghiso said the county is a Kanu zone and not Jubilee’s. “We’ve decided we shall use Kanu in 2017. Kenya is a multiparty democracy,” he said.
The leaders told Jubilee to allow the opposition to perform its role. “They should be allowed to criticise the government. They should stop fighting the opposition but listen to what they say,” Poghisio said.
