• Uhuru will be in Bomet county for the second time after the 2017 elections
• Supporters of Ruto in Rift VAlley are keen to see if Uhuru will use the service to speak on their relationship with Ruto
When President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto fly to Bomet today, they will land at Bomet Green Stadium, a field that has significance on the jubilee unity.
Uhuru and Ruto are among the high profile leaders expected to grace the funeral service of the late Bomet Governor Dr Joyce Laboso who died on Monday after a long battle with colon cancer.
On Friday evening, the body will be flown to Koru for a night vigil before being buried on Saturday.
“All is set for the send off of our governor and sister,Dr Joyce Laboso. The President and the Deputy President will attend the two functions in Bomet and Koru. I just want to urge all Kenyans to turn up in large numbers to either Nairobi,Bomet or Koru,”Energy CS Charles Keter who is chairing the funeral committee said.
While politics may be limited in the ceremony meant to celebrate the life and times of the one among the three female governors elected in the 2017 general elections, Kalenjin leaders are expected to use the opportunity to remind Uhuru of his unity with Ruto that was woven and would be cemented at the stadium.
This is the historic stadium where on August 2017, Uhuru attended the inauguration ceremony of Laboso while Ruto was several miles away in Central region attending a similar event for Kirinyaga governor Ann Waiguru.
It is at this stadium where Uhuru who was accompanied by Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi, Cabinet Secretaries Charles Keter (Energy),Amina Mohamed (Education), Sicily Kariuki (Health) Cleophas Mailu ( then Health CS),Jacob Kaimenyi (then Lands), Philis Kandie (then East Africa Community and Dan Kazungu (then Mining) among other senior government officials excitedly danced to a jubilee song- Jubilee Tosha that was composed by one Marion Chepkorir.
While Uhuru and his none Kalenjin leaders in the team may not have understood the song composed in Kipsigis, Laboso would be seen in the video interpreting for him the lyrics of the song that not only excited Jubilee supporters into wild cheers when played but also rekindles them days when all was well in the ruling party.
The song which is full of riddles and metaphors is in praise of the two jubilee leaders and celebrating Ruto for working with Uhuru who would in turn return the favour by supporting him in 2022.
“Kitindoi taita nebo kapbamwai nekole robe morik situn ketilchi . Kiwekun kongoi Samoei kiiwee samobai iboisekei emet angot kolalang, konomegei ak lakok ,iweke ak ilechech kokorur moo chop ot konyol. Kongoi en kandoikyok che kinamgei euun ak kondochi Kenya en kaliet ak kipakenge. Kiwekkwok kongoi. (We have our first son who has decided to support his friend so that when his turn comes, he will also be supported. We thank you thank you Samoei for accepting to go to the fields to check if it is suitable for habitation and fertile enough and you’ve come back with good report that it is a good deal. Thank you to our leaders for leading the country with peace and unity),” the song that has surfaced after the death of Laboso goes in part.
Uhuru was last in the South Rift county in October last year to inaugurate development projects, almost a year later he will be back in the region which voted for him almost to man in the last Presidential election which he was declared the winner.
The relationship between Uhuru and Ruto has for the last one and half years been characterized by cold wars with the Ruto camp tracing the fallout to the handshake that the President and ODM leader Raila Odinga in March 2018.
Ruto’s allies are of the opinion that Uhuru has reneged on their 2013 political deal where Ruto was to support Uhuru for 10 years and in turn Uhuru would also support Ruto to succeed him after his term ends in 2022.
Last week at a press conference in his Eldoret home, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi said that the relationship between Uhuru and Ruto is fake telling Ruto to stop pretending over his relationship with the President as "no one can believe it anymore".
“It is clear that there is no bromance still existing between Uhuru and Ruto as it was before. All this has been fueled by succession politics,”Sudi said.
The close ally of the DP added: “The relationship between them is like of a man and a woman who are married, but sleeping in different houses an indication that the union is over.”