For the past one week, Deputy President William Ruto’s camp has witnessed two major defections from its quarters.
It first started with the three legislatures; Moiben MP Silas Tiren, Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter and Cherangany Member of Parliament Joshua Kutuny. As if that was not enough, late last week, former Uasin Gishu gubernatorial aspirant Zedekiag Bundotich followed suitly.
Buzeki who is the Chairman of the Board of Chemelil Sugar Company Limited has been Ruto’s close ally especially in 2017 general elections where he was considered by many in the county as ‘Ruto’s Project’. He, unfortunately, lost to the incumbent governor Jackson Mandago.
Just days after Buzeki’s defections, Elgeyo Marakwet governor Engineer Alex Tolgos on Monday announced his exit from the team. The soft spoken governor has been on the limelight after he came out to question the disappearance of funds from Kimwarer and Arror dams.
But why the recent massive defections from the camp by these Rift valley leaders? Sources indicate that some key persons inside Ruto’s team are to be blamed for the same. Buzeki and Tolgos laid it bare accusing the three for continuous frustrations and humiliations.
Those mentioned include Ruto’s personal Aid Farouk Kibet, Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and Soy constituency MP Steven Kositany
Buzeki accused Deputy President William Ruto’s allies of interfering with the Jubilee nominations in the last polls. He expressed concern there are elements close to the DP who are determined to continue “forcing” candidates on the electorate.
He particularly named Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, Soy MP Caleb Kositany and Ruto’s aide Farouk Kibet whom he said were determined to keep on frustrating him in Jubilee.
“Farouk and his team have in the past gone public on this and my supporters now believe we will not have fair play in Jubilee and we would rather think ahead,” said Buzeki.
Contacted for comment Farouk said he had “no time to talk about nonsense”. “I am not a politician and let Buzeki deal with his own issues,” he said. Murkomen and Kositany could not be reached.
Supporters of Buzeki in Uasin Gishu led by Janet Tuwei and Ben Kiplimo said they stand with the decision he had taken.
“Buzeki has been consulting us and many other people and we are fully in support of all moves he will make. We also believe he won the nominations and the elections last time but all processes were interfered with by cartels in jubilee”, said Tuwei.
Buzeki has met former Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto in the last few weeks and has not ruled out the possibility of talks for him to join or take over Rutto’s Chama Cha Mashinani.
“It’s true I meet Rutto and we talk about many issues but we will reveal our game plan at the right time,” Buzeki said.
On his part, Tolgos also blamed Ruto’s allies of treating them with disdain and failing to appreciate their positions and the influence they wield in the region.
Mr Tolgos, who has had a long-running personal battle with Mr Murkomen, on Monday said he had made the decision to quit the Tanga Tanga team, which he described as being “full of insults and arrogance”.
Although Mr Tolgos said he was still in Jubilee and would respect both President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy being the party leaders, he praised Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, the Kanu leader, for respecting other leaders in the region.
If Deputy President William Ruto will not act swiftly and contain his ‘spanner’ boys, more leaders from the region will continue to exit the camp leaving him with less brigade ahead of 2022 elections. Baringo senator Gideon Moi and Former Bomet governor Isaac Ruto will continue to reap big as Ruto comes down crumbling.
Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago is also rumoured to be at the edge of exit from the team Mandago has been so silent concerning Ruto’s campaigns and private sources indicate that he his planning his next move after his term comes to an end in 2022. Mandago has not been in good terms with Ruto’s ‘insiders’ and he even complained of them in 2017 general elections.