By Jacob Ng’etich
The alliance between The National Alliance and United Republican Party faces marketing obstacles in the Rift Valley, which incidentally hosts the first joint rally of the two parties.
Billed as the toughest political risk Eldoret North William Ruto has taken after the ‘No’ referendum campaign, the rally is being seen by his supporters as potential leap into a bright future. However, those in disagreement see a possible relapse from the unanimous support he has enjoyed, so far.
Until he began warming up to TNA’s Uhuru Kenyatta, Ruto commanded unwavering loyalty among his Kalenjin community to the point of being idolised.
Electoral bloc
However, the ground is shifting radically with sentiments of ‘betrayer’ once in a while replacing the role he had been assigned of being the spokesman of the expansive Kalenjin electoral bloc.
The Eldoret North MP has finished the first leg of the charm offensive to market his alliance with Uhuru amid opposition by a section of his supporters.
In the huge political rallies in Eldoret 64 Stadium and Kapkatet grounds, Ruto asked the Kalenjin community to embrace the alliance because it would deliver presidency in the first round.
“We want to be done with this election in the fast round before we embark on defending ourselves at the International Criminal Court cases. We have what it takes and we are appealing to Kenyans to support us,” Ruto said.
Ruto said he realised he was not going to win the election alone and he would come third or fourth and therefore needed a political partner to win the election. However, those against the alliance say they have been betrayed.
Kiprotich Rotuk, a researcher at Kenya Medical Research Institute, said unfortunately, Ruto had told the Kalenjin he was going for president and they believed him.
“That is why the Kalenjin followed him from ODM to UDM, which they invested in emotionally for two years. Then they followed him to URP when it became difficult to take over UDM. He now wants the Kalenjin to follow him to TNA, even after abandoning the presidential race to become a running mate?” Rotuk said.
Emmanuel Sang from Bomet said it was unfortunate that the URP leader was telling his folks that he realised he could not win and thus he was settling for a second position.
“Who said he could not win? Who said Uhuru or Raila would win? Ruto should know the political races are not entered into because one is sure to win. It is a race and if you have no guts to belief in your ability to win then you have no business leading Kalenjin,” said Sang.
Fresh memories
He said it was still fresh in the memories when Ruto ridiculed Roads Minister Franklin Bett when he said he was gunning for number two instead of going for number one, which he had settled on.
“Ruto is on record for castigating Kosgey and Bett on the running mate issue. He stated that, “I have never seen an athlete competing for a second position and that a serious person goes for number one. Why is he now desperate to be number two or a running mate?” He asked.
Bob Kipkemboi, a resident of Nandi County, wondered how Ruto had the audacity to tell the Kalenjins that their votes would be used to fill up Uhuru’s so as to win the presidency thereby indicating that the region’s votes were second hand.
“Kenyan voters will reject this hypothesis because it’s cheap to imagine the rest of Kenyans do not count,” said Kipkemboi.
However, Simion Ngeno from Kericho County said those who spoke the loudest against Uhuru and Ruto alliance were ODM sympathisers who were in the same group with Roads Minister Franklin Bett, East African Integration Minister Musa Sirma, and politician Jackson Kibor, among others.
“This is mainly because they wanted Ruto to go it alone so that Raila would win. We are telling them that it will not work. There is no light at the end of the tunnel for them in the Kalenjin land,” said Ng’eno.
Meanwhile, the Kalenjin Council of Elders will be meeting to discuss the alliance after URP leader briefed them on the alliance. Major Rtd John Seii, chairman Emeritus of Kalenjin Council of Elders, said the elders would meet on Sunday in Eldoret to review the offer and advise the community. “We have asked the leaders to bring together, elders, professionals, the clergy, women, and youth representatives to build consensus. We as elders will not influence the direction for now, but give them opportunity to bring us a good deal,” said Seii.
In an earlier meeting two months ago the elders were very categorical that they did not approve of the deal. They told Ruto and his lieutenants that they risked going it alone.
“We have clearly expressed our displeasure about the political marriage. We were outright that the move will not get the blessings of the elders and other opinion leaders,” said one of the elders then.
Head of Anglican Church Justice and Reconciliation department at Eldoret Diocese, Maritim Rirei, said whereas people in the community had mixed feeling on the alliance, they were between a rock and a hard place.
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