Thursday, January 12, 2012

I didn’t endorse ole Kiyiapi – Ntimama



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HERITAGE minister William Ole Ntimama yesterday denied having ever endorsed James Ole Kiyiapi's presidential bid during a rally at Isinya towards the end of last year. The minister clarified that he had merely wished the Education PS good luck "for the route he has taken to vie for the presidency".
Kiyiapi has declared his interest for the presidency during the next general election. “There is a big difference between endorsement and wish you good luck,” the minister said during a press conference in his office. "There is a big difference between endorsement and wish you luck." “I only wished Kiyiapi good luck. Like every other Kenyan he has a constitutional and democratic right to do so,” he said, while blaming the media for “harping over this” issue during the festive season.
Ntimama said he is a loyal and dedicated member of ODM and was fully behind Raila Odinga's presidential bid. He said it was only Raila who “can pull” the Maasai community from the pits of marginalisation and historical injustices the country has suffered for so long. “It is prudent for me to clarify this matter because I am the Narok County ODM chairman. I was elected unopposed during the recent elections. I don't want my peers in the party and the general membership to misunderstand me,” he said.
Ntimama revisited his pet subject on the Maasai land rights telling “those in authority” the community has a myriad of grievances over land both historical and present. “The Maasai Community lost over one million acres of land during the European incursion but they never got an inch back,” he said.
He revealed the Maasai will be seeking for justice once the national land commission is formed “to ensure that we get our land back. Ntimama supported the principles of devolution proposed in the various Bills drafted by the ministry of local government, but urged the minister to ensure corruption and fraud is not devolved to the county governments.

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