Baringo aspirants and marginalised groups want negotiated democracy to ensure all hopefuls for higher office do not come from the majority Arror community.
A spot check shows so far most aspirant for governor, senator and woman representative come from the populous Arror community in Baringo North.
“Our county has six subcounties and a scenario whereby all the top leadership will come from one community is totally unacceptable," resident Evans Chebon said on Wednesday.
He said he hopes people will agree to balance and distribute leadership positions fairly.
"If the woman rep comes from one subcounty, then the governor and senator should come from others," he said.
Baringo is inhabited mostly by the Tugen-(Arror and Samor subtribes), Ilchamus and Pokot minority pastoralists in Baringo North, Mogotio, Baringo Central, Eldama-Ravine and Tiaty subcounties.
For instance, all governor aspirants come from the Arror community in Baringo North.
They include incumbent Stanley Kiptis, former Governor Benjamin Cheboi and former Wildlife CS Prof Fred Segor.
They are ganging up against Robert Chelagat and Richard Koech Moses Lessonet from Baringo Central and Eldama-Ravine, respectively.
“From 2013 to date, we have only had governors from the Arror community. It is time to strike a regional balance," Citizen Chebon said.
However, five of the aspirants, except Koech who joined Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM), will face off in UDA primaries next week on April 14.
Incumbent Woman Rep Gladwel Cheruiyot (Kanu), aspirants Susan Chesyna (UDA) and Nancy Chesire (UDA) are from the Arror community in Baringo North.
They will face Rebecca Lomong (KUP) and Florence Jamatia (UDA) from Tiaty and Baringo South, respectively.
Similarly, third-term Baringo North MP William Cheptumo (UDA), who is an Arror, is expected to easily win the Senate seat held by Gideon Moi. Earlier Gideon said he would not defend the seat but his current position is not clear.
Other aspirants for the position are Isaiah Kirukmet and Tenges MCA Silas Tochim. Both UDA supporters are from Eldama-Ravine and Baringo Central, respectively.
On his Facebook page, Tiaty MP William Kamket suggested the next governor should come from Eldama-Ravine, Woman Rep from Tiaty and Senator from Baringo North.
He was widely criticised for his views.
The vocal MCA said negotiated democracy is urgently needed to foster a regional balance.
"Because surely if one community produces all the leaders, then what will happen with the sharing of resources?" he asked.
Tochim said he and other UDA assembly legislators fought to unanimously reject the BBI.
“Surely, where was Cheptumo when we were battling tear gas to vote out the document in the county assembly? I’m just reminding the people of Baringo,” he said.
The MCA said he feared elections might be rigged as he said they were previously.
He said he will only concede defeat in UDA nominations on April 14 if the primaries are free, fair and verifiable.
Cheptumo denounced the ethnicity claims and rigging elections, saying he will always uphold democratic, free and fair elections.
“In my entire political career I have never liked mentioning or attacking my competitors," he said.
"I only believe in the rule of democracy where people make their informed decision at the ballot."
Furthermore, Senator Moi who comes from Sacho, Baringo Central, is yet to declare his political intentions — whether he will defend his seat or go for Baringo Central MP after the Supreme Court killed BBI.
His allies said he might give direction once UDA is through with its nominations.
(Edited by V. Graham)
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