Kosgei's move to join Ruto was long time coming

By Beauttah Omanga
Sally Kosgei’s declaration to work with suspended Eldoret North William Ruto has elicited mixed reactions.
Kosgei was a trusted envoy of Prime Minister Raila Odinga in all aspects where issues that called for dialogue were concerned dating back to the 2007 controversial elections. She was one of the negotiators in the process led by Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
She has all along remained behind the PM even as other Rift Valley politicians caved into Ruto.

Agriculture Minister Sally Kosgei at Aldai Girls during the commissioning of Kaptumo Tea Factory in Nandi County on Friday when she announced she would be defending her seat on an ODM ticket. Photo: Peter Ochieng/Standard

Strained relationship
At some point when Ruto seemed to rally the Kalenjin community against the PM, she hit at the Eldoret North MP, accusing him of undermining other leaders in the Rift Valley.
This strained the relationship further, especially coming after Kosgei had been taken to the Ministry of Agriculture in a Cabinet reshuffle that saw Ruto taken to the Ministry of Higher Education. Ruto has since been suspended from the Cabinet following corruption charges against him in the High Court.
During her days as a powerful civil servant under the Moi era, she was a hands-on person. When Raila won her to his side, it was clear she was a worthy catch.
As Secretary to the Cabinet, she was so influential that no minister dared interrupt her contributions. When retired President Moi left power, she was reported to have wept as she watched her mentor fly out to his home in Kabarak.
Soon after, Kosgei opted to join politics through ODM-Kenya, and later on to ODM with Raila. She easily won the Aldai parliamentary seat.
While Ruto and others sent clear signals they were through with Raila, it was Dr Kosgei, former minister Henry Kosgei, Cabinet minister Franklin Bett, Assistant Ministers Beatrice Kones and Langat Magerer who stood by the PM.
That all was not well between Kosgei and Raila came out clearly two months ago when she skipped the Raila official function in western Kenya. It emerged that she skipped the event on grounds that the decision lacked her blessings.
She had also skipped several ODM party meetings and when Kosgey appeared at a presidential function last month, he revealed that Kosgei was also done with the PM.
He told the audience in Eldoret: "If Dr Kosgei was at the function, she would have revealed more as to where they we are headed".
Making such a statement before Ruto and his supporters, it was clear where Kosgei’s heart was. Some weeks early, Kosgei in a coded message, which many interpreted rightly, resigned as a deputy leader of Government Business.
She told Kenyans her ministerial docket, was so demanding and she needed time to serve farmers by visiting them. Yet, Vice- President Kalonzo Musyoka who chairs such meetings is equally busy and the HBC sessions are held only when Parliament is in session.
Now, the Agriculture Minister has told the PM and his supporters to count her out of ODM.
She joined 20 Kalenjin MPs led by Ruto in a rally in Nandi County where she declared she had joined hands with Ruto to chart a political destiny for her community. The minister said she did not care if she was dropped from the Cabinet, as she was protecting the interests of the Kalenjin.
"I don’t care losing my position as a minister. This flag sometimes is not important to me. I sometimes use it to evade traffic jams in the city," said Kosgei. Yesterday leaders had mixed reactions to her decision to dump Raila. Assistant Minister Adan Duale and Konoin MP said the writing was always on the wall.
Raila defended"It is a fact that the Ruto wave is too strong to be ignored and being a politician, she had to join her people. It is also a matter of time before the other Raila allied Kalenjin MPs follow suit," said Duale.
MP Julius Kones said Kosgei was forced to join the ‘winning team’ for her political survival.
But ODM’s Yusuf Chanzu said the PM should not feel abandoned.
"If I were Raila, I would not miss sleep over those leaving the party. I would retain my contact with voters," said the Vihiga MP.
He said it would be a waste of time for Raila to start ‘sweet talking’ rebel MPs.
The issues they have raised are personal and show Raila is the type of leader Kenyans needs, said Chanzu.
"Raila supports justice, the war against impunity, the rule of law, and the environment in the case of the Mau Forest," he said.