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Sunday, 26 April 2015

Changing political wind in Pokot knocks governor against senator

The political equation in the larger West Pokot county continued to change each day with over 2,000 elders from the area insisting that they would only support the current senator John Lonyangapou in the year 2017 general elections if he defends his senate seat.
The elders during a meeting held across the four constituencies that included Sigor, Kacheliba, Kapenguria and Pokot North said that it would be political suicidal for Lonyangapou to shift from his senate  seat and contest the governor’s seat currently being held by the former principal of Ortum Secondary School Simon Kachapin.
The elders who talked to Weekly Citizen  in Kapenguria town through their chairman Philip  Achuda, Mark Akurimong and Mary Akaule, they said that they had consulted widely in the four constituencies and that they had agreed in unison that Lonyangapou should defend his senate seat come the year 2017 but not go for the governor’s seat.
“We want to advice our son, Lonyangapou to continue serving in the same capacity as senator since we have a lot of confidence especially on the way he has been conducting his duties and told off, those advising him to shift base,” they stated.
The elders reminded him that they had already  agreed and settled on Kachapin  to be supported for another term  come 2017 general election saying that since he took over as the first Pokot community governor,  he had proved to the Pokots that he could deliver by bringing various development to the  community.
The elders further backed earlier sentiments issued by the four members of parliament Samuel Moroto (Kapenguria), David Pkosing (Pokot North), women representative Regina  Nyeris, Philip Rotino (Sigor) and Mark Lomolokol(Kacheliba)  who have already indicated their  support governor Kachapin. The leaders said that since Kachapin was elected as the first area governor several developments had been seen in the area.
“We have seen the county government buying two milk cooling plants for Dairy farmers in Tapach and Sina areas,” area MP Pkosing said, adding that  the project is aimed at improving dairy farming in the region. The Pokot North MP lauded Kachapin for allowing his county government to spent  a close to Sh 25 million to purchase five coolers and already, three have been dispatched to the highland areas while two are still on transit.
Earlier, at another meeting held in Lelan centre,  the elders said that time had come for all Pokot leaders to call  for an urgent meeting that will involve all stakeholders with a view of determining  the community political  destiny, saying that the current fights especially among elected  leaders could derail development in the area.
“We are afraid that if the leaders from the community do not work together, we might end up having a lot of divisions which might derail and affect development in the area,” Victor Mosonik said adding that the Pokot community would like to see them work as a team.
Back in Kapenguria town, a group of Pokot elites have dismissed  the recent passage of a Bill by Members of  the County Assembly  dubbed Ward Development Fund that will see each of the 25 wards getting a total of Sh43 million amounting to  Sh1billion  during every financial year.

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