Nairobi Star (Nairobi)
Mathews Ndanyi
1 November 2009
Nairobi — Political temperatures have continued to rise in Rift Valley following Agriculture minister William Ruto's declaration that he intends to stand for president in 2012.
On Saturday night and Sunday morning Ruto met an estimated 11 MPs and 12 county council chairmen at his Sugoi home where they proposed to package the United Democratic Movement to support his 2012 presidential campaign.
Ruto's formal response is not yet known as he was not answering his phone yesterday.
The UDM has remained a fringe party since being formed in 1999 by Cyrus Jirongo, Kipruto Kirwa, and William Ruto. It only has one MP, Prof Helen Sambili, but earlier this year dissatisfied Rift politicians started marketing it as an alternative to the ODM.
The leaders at Ruto's house agreed to organize a series grassroots rallies, first in the Rift Valley but then in other regions, to popularise the Agriculture minister in the run-up to 2012.
The six-bedroom house on a three-acre plot in Eldoret North has been Ruto's country home since he became an MP.
UDM Secretary General Martin Ole Kamwaro declared that the party was ready to host Ruto and the Kalenjin community.
He and his fellow leaders indicated that Ruto should run for the presidency on a UDM ticket.
Ruto has declared that he will stand for President in 2012 but insists that he wants to serve Kenyans before then.
He has dismissed talk of forming alliances with Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka or anyone else at this time.
Before the Sugoi meeting, the civic leaders had already started campaigning.
"UDM is now our house and Ruto is our presidential candidate", Wareng County Council Chairman Paul Kiprop told a meeting by civic leaders at Tachasis Girls Secondary School near Moiben in Eldoret East.
Kiprop then went with Eldoret Mayor William Rono to another fundraising meeting in St Joseph's Kipsaina Secondary School in Keiyo South where they confronted ODM Chairman Henry Kosgey who was present over his opposition to Ruto's presidential bid.
However Keiyo residents complained that Kiprop and Rono, who arrived in official vehicles, were using public resources for political campaigns and that each of them had only do donated Ksh 2,000 at the harambee.
Other civic bosses at Ruto's house included county council chairmen Leonard Barsumei (Bomet), Ezekiel Ruto (Nandi), Simon Chepseba (Keiyo), William Chesingang (Marakwet), Zablon Cheruiyot (Kipkelion), Jackson Kikwai (Londiani), Samwel Moiben (Pokot), Kangogo Rono (Baringo), Elijah Lagat of Burnt Forest and Paul Kimeto (Koibatek).
Mayors present also included Michael Rono of Kapsabet.
The civic leaders said they did not rule out the possibility of working with other communities through political alliances abut they were marketing Ruto for a serious stab at the presidency.
The estimated 11 MPs present at Ruto's house reportedly included Joshua Kutunyi (Cheranganyi), Peris Simam (Eldoret South), David Koech (Mosop), Linah Kilimo, Elijah Lagat (Emugwen), and Charles Keter (Belgut).
The MPs supporting Ruto have earned themselves the nickname of 'Ziwa FC' and some have already being accused of having abandoned their constituencies to campaign for Ruto.
At the Keiyo meeting the civic leaders challenged Kosgey to join them in supporting Ruto.
"We have not been bought by Ruto but we are doing as per the wishes of our people", said Simon Chepseba, chairman of Keiyo County Council.
But Kosgey insisted that it would be a mistake to take Kalenjins out of ODM into another party. He said the community must work with other Kenyans.
Kosgey rejected claims by the civic leaders said the ODM leadership was dictatorial and said that the party's next presidential candidate would be chosen inn broad daylight.
Bomet Mayor Leonard Barsemei however said they had resolved to build UDM but still work within ODM until the next polls.
More stormy meetings are predicted in future.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Nairobi Star. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
