Sunday, December 25, 2011

Now Ruto considers ditching UDM party



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Jennifer Muiruri | Nation Eldoret North MP William Ruto (left) and Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo dance at a UDM party delegates meeting at Nyayo National Stadium on December 21, 2011.
Photo/FILE Eldoret North MP William Ruto (left) and Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo dance at a UDM party delegates meeting at Nyayo National Stadium on December 21, 2011. 
By EMEKA-MAYAKA GEKARA gmayaka@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Saturday, December 24  2011 at  22:30
Eldoret North MP William Ruto might ditch the United Democratic Movement (UDM) for another party due to wrangles pitting him against members of the National Executive Council.
It is understood that if a deadlock in the party over recruitment and elections persists, he might register another political party by the end January.
Mr Ruto who has declared that he will contest the election on a UDM ticket is increasingly frustrated by members of the council, especially their decision to block party elections.
“We have told them(NEC) that there must be elections in the party. And if we do not have elections, we have to think of alternatives.
“We do not want an undemocratic party,” said party organising secretary Joseph Lagat, a close ally of the Eldoret North MP.
“Indications are that the party has been infiltrated by ODM. They are beginning to erect roadblocks on our way. That is the jam that is there,” said Mr Lagat a former Eldoret South MP.
Quarrels in the party have turned into a Tower of Babel. Mr Ruto wants to take full control of the party he founded but such a move has become a nightmare. (READ: UDM factions hold parallel city meetings)
The major protagonists in the war are the party’s NEC, Mr Ruto and embattled chairman Lt-Gen (rtd) John Koech who has asked Mr Ruto to stay away from the party and stop “misleading Kalenjins”.

“He rallied the Kalenjins to reject the new Constitution, which was backed by the rest of the country, as well as oppose the conservation of the Mau water tower,” he told the
 Sunday Nation in an interview.The retired general cautions Mr Ruto against isolating the Kalenjin from the rest of the country.
“It is high time Kalenjins realised that they are being isolated from the rest of the country and Mr Ruto is not taking them anywhere.
“He is spending all his energies side-boxing (Prime Minister) Raila Odinga at the expense of tackling the challenges they face such as poverty, poor education, infrastructure and health facilities.”
The council says it has not settled on a presidential candidate, but Mr Ruto has declared he will be the party’s flagbearer in the next elections.
The council says that Mr Ruto will be considered with other politicians such as Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo who have expressed interest in the party’s ticket.
Dujis MP Aden Duale, who has declared himself the party’s spokesman, says Mr Ruto and his allies will gang up against Mr Odinga in the next election in case of a run-off.
But Lt-Gen Koech, who is in court to return to the party after a controversial ouster by Ruto allies, argues that it would be a violation of the law for the Eldoret MP to belong to both ODM and UDM at the same time.
“If he does not respect party laws and legal institutions, how can he be trusted to respect the Constitution of the country which he campaigned hard against?”
The retired military man also defended Mr Odinga against claims by Mr Ruto that he was behind his case at the International Criminal Court over crimes committed after the 2007 elections.
He said Mr Ruto has no genuine grievances against Mr Odinga. “He is using the Mau and ICC matters as an excuse to justify his rebellion. Anti-reform forces are using him with the aim of stopping Mr Odinga,” he said.
“His campaign is based on propaganda against Mr Odinga but the lies have started evaporating.” Lt-Gen Koech indicated that Mr Ruto had no grip of the whole Kalenjin vote, especially in the South Rift.
“He doesn’t have the blessing of key Kalenjin leaders such retired President Moi, (former Cabinet minister) Nicholas Biwott, Tinderet MP Henry Kosgey and senior professionals.”
Mr Ruto’s return to UDM lays ground for battle with ODM and Kanu in Rift Valley. Retired President Moi and his son, Gideon, have pitched tent in the region rallying support for Kanu.

2 comments:

  1. Mr.koech am a kalenjin and ruto has never and will never mislead me so pls stop being used by raila instead

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  2. I think you General Koech want to mislead Kalenjin. u think politics is like Millitary where u force things to happen NO we know what we are doing. Thats why we didn't elect you last election and we will never elect you may be your family an your clans men. You are being used by Raila. Let him apoint you so that you can continue adoring him.

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