Elders in Elgeyo Marakwet are pushing for negotiated democracy to allow the two main subtribes in the region to share top county seats in the August 9 General Election.
The county is mainly inhabited by Keiyo and Marakwet communities.
In the last general election, Marakwets won the top three seats even though the Keiyos are the majority.
Alex Tolgos took the governor's seat, Kipchumba Murkomen was elected senator and Jane Chebaibai won the woman representative seat. All three are from the Marakwet subtribe.
On Saturday, Keiyo elders chairman Ben Karttam led an elders meeting in Kaptagat where they discussed how to approach the August polls in a manner that would lead to a win-win situation for both subtribes.
“We are still in the process of dialogue with more meetings planned after which we hope to come up with a solution on the way forward,” Kattam said during the meeting dubbed Kaptagat One.
In the 2017 election, aspirants from the Keiyo community were many compared to Marakwets.
This year, the Keiyo community has more than four aspirants seeking the governor's seat, raising the possibility of losing out again.
At the Kaptagat One meeting, the elders met with some of those who have shown interest in the governor's seat from the Keiyo community.
They include incumbent Deputy Governor Wesley Rotich who is from Emsoo in Keiyo North, former Keiyo South MP Jackson Kiptanui, Tourism CAS Joseph Boinnet and Environment PS Chris Kiptoo.
Although Kiptoo has not confirmed his bid for the governor's seat, he honoured the invitation by the elders.
Boinnet is also yet to announce his bid but told the elders that the matter of negotiated democracy must be approached with inclusion of both the Keiyo and Marakwet communities.
“I will announce my plans at the right time as per the law. For now, I am still serving in government," Boinnet said.
From the Marakwet side, those gunning for the governor's seat include Engineer Tangus and immediate former principal of Eldoret Polytechnic Josphat Sawe.
No aspirant has declared interest in running against Senator Murkomen. This is one of the reasons there is a strong push for the governor's seat to go to the Keiyo community.
The region is expected to be a stronghold of UDA. Keiyo South MP Daniel Rono said it would be difficult for any other party to have an impact in the region.
Edited by A.N
