Roads Minister Frankline Bett after the opening of a one week workshop on Infrastructure at KIE yesterday.
ROADS minister Franklin Bett has welcomed talks between Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Eldoret North MP William Ruto.
He said the discussions are key to peace ahead of and after the general election.
He said Raila and Ruto should not be misled by interests that intend to derail their desire of clinching power.
Speaking to the Star at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport yesterday, Bett said: ''The move is wise and commendable. They should seal a deal that will see them in State House come next year.''
“The move taken by Raila and Ruto is a sign of maturity because in politics, there are no permanent enemies or friends.”
It is claimed that Ruto and Raila met on Tuesday night for a possible alliance ahead of the elections.
The two parted, who were ODM in the 2007 general election, parted ways two years ago after Ruto accused Raila of evicting some Kalenjin families from the Mau Forest.
He ditched ODM and joined the United Republican Party, whose ticket he is using in his bid to win the presidency.
Bett said he will support Ruto if he agrees to support Raila for the presidency.
“When you are the Deputy President it is good because you are preparing yourself for the presidency. And in most cases, when the President is out of the country, you are in an acting capacity,” said the Buret MP.
Bett and ODM chairman Henry Kosgey are both eyeing to be Raila’s running mate.
He added that he has always given the political direction to the Kalenjin community and his prediction had come true in all instances.
“In 2002 I told you the way to go was Narc and even though you defied me it still won. In 2005 I told you to reject the then Wako draft and you listened to me. In 2007 you listened to me and now I want you to listen to me concerning the next elections,” said the MP.
He cautioned Kenyans to be extra careful not to join parties which are vested with tribalism.
“I don’t support political parties centered on tribalism but support the party with a national outlook and cutting across other communities.” he said.
Last week, Raila said in Bomet that he is ready to work with Ruto so as they fulfill the ODM aspirations they had promised Kenyans.
Meanwhile, ODM officials in Rift Valley have backed a possible political deal between Eldoret North MP William Ruto and the party leader Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
However the proposed deal between the two presidential aspirants has also caused jitters among supporters of Tinderet MP Henry Kosgey who fear that Ruto may eclipse them politically.
Vice chairman of the ODM Uasin Gishu county David Songok said they were ready to accommodate Ruto's team in the party so that the party can remain strong ahead of the next general election.
"Ruto is wasting himself politically if he continues miscalculating politics . Let him return home and we will support him along with the PM," Songok said.
Other ODM officials including Marakwet Keiyo county vice chairman Samwel Chemwono said Ruto may have realized the need to join the PM who was well placed to win the elections.
"Our people want a clear political direction and that is why we think ODM is the best party for all of us," Songok said. Songok said majority of the people in the region still owed their allegiance to ODM which they see as their hope in the next polls.
Many other political leaders in the region have cautiously welcomed the move by Ruto but said they would still watch events because the political trends in the country were likely to change many times ahead of the elections.
ODM officials in Uasin Gishu County also held a meeting where they supported the party's resolutions during the recent Naivasha retreat.
The meeting was attended by Party Senior Trustee Seid Keittanyi, Joshua Ruto Singh from Eldoret North, Charles Tanui who is Secretary of the county, Job Too who is secretary for Eldoret South and Eldoret East Chairman Phillip Kelechei.
"The trend we are seeing now is that our party is growing in popularity every day. We are registering many more members in all counties", Keittanyi said.
Keittanyi noted that they had also supported the decision to have the party's National Delegates Conference (NDC) to pick the PM's running mate during the next polls. However they want the running mate to be picked from the Rift Valley region.
At the same time they asked residents of the Coast province to value peace and embrace dialogue in resolving the grievances on marginalization of the region.
Tanui said they want all issues outlined in agenda four to be dealt with as the country heads to the polls.
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