• Buzeki accuses DP Ruto allies of ruining the jubilee party.
• He has been meeting Isaac Rutto of Chama Cha Mashinani for a possible political deal.
Image: MATHEWS NDANYI
Businessman Bundotich Kiprop, popularly known as Buzeki, has confirmed he has quit Jubilee and will chart his own political way foward ahead of the 2022 elections.
Buzeki on Saturday said he consulted widely and decided that his team has no future in Jubilee.
“It’s true we have disembarked from Jubilee and we are now looking forward to a new political future,” he said in Eldoret
Buzeki vied for the Uasin Gishu Governor seat in 2017 but lost to Jackson Mandago in the Jubilee nominations after which he vied as an independent candidate.
He lost in the election.
Although he ran as an independent candidate, Buzeki insisted that he remained a Jubilee member.
The billionaire businessman, who has interests in shipping, transport and dairy sector among other areas, said since the last elections he has been monitoring the political situation and Jubilee in particular.
Buzeki accused Deputy President William Ruto and his allies of interfering with the Jubilee nominations in the last polls.
He expressed concern there are elements close to the DP who are determined to continue "forcing" candidates on the electorate.
He particularly named Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, Soy MP Caleb Kositany and Ruto’s aide Farouk Kibet whom he said are determined to keep on frustrating him in Jubilee.
“Farouk and his team have in the past gone public on this and my supporters now believe we will not have fair play in Jubilee and we would rather think ahead,” said Buzeki.
Contacted for comment Farouk said he had "no time to talk about nonsense".
“I am not a politician and let Buzeki deal with his own issues,” he said. Murkomen and Kositany could not be reached.
Supporters of Buzeki in Uasin Gishu led by Janet Tuwei and Ben Kiplimo said they stand with the decision he had taken.
“Buzeki has been consulting us and many other people and we are fully in support of all moves he will make. We also believe he won the nominations and the elections last time but all processes were interfered with by cartels in jubilee”, said Tuwei.
Buzeki has met former Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto in the last few weeks and has not ruled out the possibility of talks for him to join or take over Rutto’s Chama Cha Mashinani.
“It’s true I meet Rutto and we talk about many issues but we will reveal our game plan at the right time,” Buzeki said.