Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen receives a cow gifted to him at Kaptarakwa in Elgeyo-Marakwet County.
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen has hit out at a section of leaders in the Rift Valley whom he claims are surrogates of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
He declared he would take on the leaders head-on, just as he had declared a fight against what he termed Gachagua's incitement and tribal politics.
The CS spoke as he engaged in a war of words with Kesses MP Julius Ruto, who accused Murkomen of being full of ego and meddling in the affairs of other leaders in the region.
Ruto, speaking in his constituency, accused Murkomen of being more tribal than others and of perpetrating divisions among leaders in the region.
"He is unable to do the work given to him by the President and is busy using his position to undermine other leaders and favour a section of the Kalenjin community from his area," he said.
The MP accused Murkomen of favouring only his community in the recruitment of security officers while sidelining other residents.
"He has no moral authority to speak about tribalism, yet he is practising it within his own community," Ruto said.
Speaking at Kaptarakwa in Keiyo South, Murkomen angrily accused some UDA leaders in the region of trying to intimidate him
"Let them know that even though we are in the same team, I will not allow them to intimidate me," the CS said.
He accused MP Ruto of being among those who pretend to be in President William Ruto's team during the day but support Gachagua at night.
"Let Gachagua and his surrogates around here know that I will deal with them ruthlessly," Murkomen said.
He said his job as Interior CS was not child's play and his critics should keep off.
"In fact, the reason they are trying to intimidate me is because they do not know me. Let them look back at my history and they will know that I am not someone to intimidate. I will deal with them ruthlessly," Murkomen said.
The CS sparked a political storm in the region a week ago after endorsing Governor Jonathan Bii for a second term while criticising Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago, accusing him of undermining Bii.
Murkomen said Bii was a good leader but some of the challenges he was facing were caused by Mandago, who served as the first governor of Uasin Gishu.
MP Ruto is a close ally of Mandago and has told Murkomen to keep off Uasin Gishu politics.
The war of words between the leaders threatens to split the UDA support base ahead of next year's polls.
