Uhuru develops cold feet

Rift Valley MPs trooped to Western and declared interest in forming an alliance with the province ahead of the 2012 General Election. Although expected to attend, Uhuru kenyatta failed to show up and did not send any representative.

They said it was evident their friendship with Nyanza Province was "in the red" following a fallout between them and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Assistant Minister for Energy Charles Keter, Joshua Kuttuny (Cherangany), Boaz Kaino (Marakwet West) and Elijah Lagat (Emgwen) were in Lugari at the weekend where they wooed Kaddu party leader Cyrus Jirongo.

Kuttuny told Jirongo they had forgiven him for supporting a censure Motion in Parliament against Agriculture Minister William Ruto.

"We have come to show you we are ready to put the past behind," Kuttuny said.

The MPs were speaking at Lumakanda during a fundraiser in aid of IDPs in Lugari, where Ruto sent a donation of Sh100,000 through Keter.

No regrets

About 30 MPs were expected at the fundraiser, but only the Rift Valley MPs and Saboti legislator Eugene Wamalwa showed up. Kuttuny said they had no regrets falling out with Raila.

"I remember telling him he risked shouldering blame of the Grand Coalition if he blindly supervised certain Government decisions like the Mau evictions," he said.

The MPs hit out at Deputy Prime Minister and Sabatia MP Musalia Mudavadi, saying he had continued to work against the Luhya community’s quest for the top seat.

The MPs told the Western region that since none of their leaders had declared interest in the presidency, they were considering offering them either the vice-presidency or the prime minister’s post if they supported Ruto. But Jirongo said Western Province would settle for nothing less than the presidency in 2012.

"You (Rift Valley) abandoned your friends and went to look for enemies in Nyanza," Jirongo said.

The harambee raised more than Sh2 million.