Rift Valley elders pledge to stick by Raila

Prime Minister Raila Odinga addresses Kalenjin elders at Kenmosa village in Eldoret. [Photo: Peter Ochieng/Standard]

By VINCENT BARTOO

The rivalry between Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Eldoret North MP William Ruto has intensifed as the two gear up for what promises to be a bruising battle in Rift Valley Province.

On Monday Kalenjin elders declared their support for Raila as he continued reaching out to voters in the province. Over 600 elders in Eldoret endorsed the PM for the presidency and dismissed the yet to be signed pact between Eldoret North MP William Ruto and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta.

During the meeting held at Kenmosa grounds, the elders declared they would lead the Kalenjin Community in parting ways politically with Ruto.

The Eldoret North MP announced on Sunday that he would forge an alliance with Uhuru for the 2013 General Elections.

Ruto is already popularising the pact, despite the opposition by the elders who have met Raila twice in a week.

Meanwhile Ruto has targeted constituencies represented by Raila’s allies Beatrice Kones (Bomet), Magerer Langat (Kipkelion), Henry Kosgey (Tinderet), Dr Sally Kosgei (Aldai) and Prof Margaret Kamar (Eldoret East).

Emboldened by the elders’ resolve, the PM and his allies took cue and came out guns blazing vowing they would walk the elections path without Ruto.

Raila declared no one would intimidate or stand in his way in reaching out for support from the Kalenjin community.

“Others think I cannot go to the Kalenjin without them. Even in 2007, it is the community itself that drove them to support me because they loved me. This time round, it is not going to be any different,” he said in reference to Ruto.

Raila said the Kalenjin are not gullible people who will fall for “another unworkable” political union.

“You were deceived in 2002, do you want to be cheated again?” posed Raila referring to Ruto’s support for Uhuru in his 2002 presidential bid.

Raila also lashed out at Uhuru and Ruto saying they could not wish away cases facing them at the International Criminal Court (ICC) by ascending to power.

“You cannot say we will deal with The Hague by becoming President and deputy President, that is a totally wrong approach,” he said.

Raila said Kenya risked going the Sudan way where President El Bashir was a wanted man internationally.

“How will you lead Kenya when you are wanted? Like Bashir, he cannot travel a lot because if he lands in countries which are ICC signatories, he will be arrested,” he said.

But Speaking in Kalenjin during a rally at Kabiyet in Mosop, Nandi County, Ruto said: “We would like to conclude the elections in the first round because going beyond that may be slippery”.

“We will no longer make it a guesswork. We would like to plan together and ensure that we are in the next government,” said Ruto as he once again ruled out an alliance with Raila.

“We supported that man in the last elections but we are now telling him bye. We have been in the opposition for 10 years because of his ‘Kibaki tosha’ slogan,” said Ruto.

Ruto appeared to blame the Kalenjin community saying it convinced him to support Raila during the 2007 elections with disastrous consequences.

“If someone cheats you once, he is a liar, but when you are cheated for the second, you become a fool yourself,” said Ruto.

Ruto claimed Raila had been wooing him for meetings on a pre-election deal but declared he was done with him.

“He has sought me for talks but we have decided to completely part ways with him. You cannot be cheated twice,” said Ruto.

Ruto also castigated Kalenjin vernacular station Kass FM saying it should not be used to divide the community.

He was responding to a decision by the station to air PM Raila Odinga’s meeting with the elders live.