Supporters
of Kericho senator Charles Keter have threatened to heckle and boo Bomet county
governor Isaac Ruto and Wilfred Lesan
instantaneously and directly without respecting them if they
dare visit Kericho.
This
comes hot on the heels of a recent incident in which Senator Keter was
heckled and booed by proponents of referendum push by supporters of Cord leader
Raila Odinga.
They
are demanding an unconditional apology from their cousins in Bomet county who
jeered the senator at a church function in the county. A former Roads
minister who hails from Kericho was quick in calling for
tolerance amongst proponents and opponents of the referendum.
Senator
Keter was heckled when supporters of Deputy President William Ruto
and Governor Ruto clashed over calls for a referendum during a fundraiser
at Marinyin Catholic Church in Bomet Central.
Kericho
county is home of the Kipsigis subtribe of the Kalenjin
community. The Kipsigis dominate Kericho and Bomet counties but those residing
in Kericho are bitter with their brothers and sisters from Bomet following
allegations of an uprising of proponents of Cord-led referendum in Bomet
county which is a Jubilee strong hold.
The
insurgence which is led by Governor Ruto was played out in the open during the
church fundraiser but directed to Senator Keter, an act which residents of
Kericho viewed as disrespectful to the electorate from the county who elected
Keter to represent them in the senate.
At
the Kericho press association office on Sunshine Upperhill Motel,
Yokozuna Rotich led supporters of the
senator drawn from Buret, Ainamoi, Belgut and Kipkelion subcounties in
demanding an apology from their cousins from Bomet county, adding that it should be accompanied by a written
explanation why their senator was jeered alongside Senator Kipchumba
Murkomen. Rotich said that it was disrespective to those who voted for him
as their
senator and that all residents of Kericho county deserve a
written apology with clear vindication and enlightenment as to why they
decided to heckle Keter and not Prof Lesan.
“We should let our cousins be aware that we
will also heckle their governor and the senator Lesan anytime they visit us in Kericho where
they frequent and even own property. How can you heckle Keter when Keter is not
the president or the deputy? If you have an issue to settle with the central
government, face the right persons not our senator!” warned Rotich.
Frankline
Bett, a former comptroller of State House during President Moi regime and
Roads minister in Mwai Kibaki’s regime
blamed this on lack of tolerance and disrespect of leaders in opposing
camps.
“We
all have our rights constitutionally to express our feelings or
standpoint but it should be in an orderly manner without disrespecting others
and looking down upon each other because today’s opposition is tomorrow’s
government,” Bett said .
The
former Cord director of election also said that the ultimatum for
more resources in the county should be accompanied with accountability from the
counties where money allocated must be seen to have developed and used for the
intended projects.
Bett
said internal auditors are sometimes compromised not to report misuse of funds
allocated for development projects in the counties yet it is the same county
governors who are asked to account for money already used wrongfully.
He
said the operations of the central government should be replicated in the
counties where if a minister appointed by the governor has poor books of
accounts, he is called upon to account appear before committee (parliamentary)
and not the appointing authority (president)
Bett
expressed his disapproval of the heckling of senators in Bomet county and
censured leaders whom he revealed were intolerant to each other leading
the public to copy from them and confront their leaders during functions.
“I
will blame leaders themselves who don’t respect each other and as they become
examples to mimic by the public who will abuse you just because you are in the
opposing camp. Remember in the same measure, you shall receive even in evil,”
he rebuked.
The
former minister called upon the public to act with respect when dealing with
matters with political bearing adding that it leads to chaos which would
otherwise have been avoided.
Belgut
West MP Eric Keter led Jubilee supporters in Kericho town to
condemn utterances by Kericho governor earlier in the week that leaders
in the county supported Cord in its push
for the referendum.
Keter
had accompanied Deputy President Ruto during his tour in Narok and Bomet
county. Nevertheless, Keter said that
the allegations were ill-timed and misplaced since all MPs in Kericho supported
Jubilee initiatives to deliver on the pleas they made during electioneering
period.
The
MP said that Jubilee score board was to provide good roads, water,
education and electricity to all families in the country among other promises
and that they have little time to spend on referendums which will not only use
taxpayers money, but waste on the time they were given by Kenyans to develop
and deliver.
Keter
who was flanked by Alhaj Kiptanui from Interfaith and Cherono Omar, an official
from women group in South Rift, denied claims they were rooting for the
referendum as alleged by Governor Paul Chepkwony and stating some
of those agitating for the referendum were the same people who supported the
constitution during the 2005 referendum that it was perfect, order and fit for
Kenyans.
Omar
warned Governor Chepkwony against generalising his utterances as if they were
the views of the entire county and advised him to be particular when making
personal statements on an issue such as the referendum.
“Your
governor can’t force you to make any decision about referendum or any other
national matter when the constitution is very clear that this will be a
personal matter without influence. We are not supporting a referendum and he
should be told to stop deciding for us,” she told the governor.
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