Leaders vow to end Ruto support

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Jackson Kibor, a member of the Kalenjin council of elders. PHOTO / FILE  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By NATION CORRESPONDENT
Posted  Sunday, November 25  2012 at  20:37

IN SUMMARY

• The leaders dismissed coalition talks between the URP leader and TNA presidential aspirant Uhuru Kenyatta as impractical and vowed to influence the community to vote for any other presidential aspirant.
• The merger between Mr Ruto and Mr Uhuru, the leaders claimed was driven by self-interest and aimed at preventing the Kalenjins from joining other Kenyans to elect credible leaders.
• Cabinet ministers Henry Kosgey (Industrialisation) and Musa Sirma (East African Community) are among leaders who have dismissed Mr Ruto’s coalition bid.

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A group of Kalenjin leaders has vowed to mobilise the community against voting for Eldoret North MP William Ruto.

The leaders dismissed coalition talks between the URP leader and TNA presidential aspirant Uhuru Kenyatta as impractical and vowed to influence the community to vote for any other presidential aspirant.

The leaders claim that the merger between Mr Ruto and Mr Uhuru is driven by self-interest and is aimed at preventing the Kalenjins from joining other Kenyans to elect credible leaders. (READ: Uhuru and Ruto now want joint ticket symbol)

Liberty to vote

“Mr Ruto must stop masquerading as the overall custodian of our individual votes in Rift Valley because he is just an ordinary voter like everybody else.

"We are at liberty to vote for anyone. It is our democratic right,” said Mr Jackson Kibor, the ODM Rift Valley coordinator.

Other leaders including those in the diaspora cautioned Mr Ruto against dropping his presidential bid to be Mr Uhuru’s running mate claiming it amounted to betrayal of the community.

A group of youth against the TNA/URP merger protested in Eldoret town. The parties are expected to make public their political pact on December 4.

Cabinet ministers Henry Kosgey (Industrialisation) and Musa Sirma (East African Community) are among leaders who have dismissed Mr Ruto’s coalition bid.

Mr Sirma, said the Kalenjin stood to regret by supporting the URP/TNA alliance at the expense of electing quality leaders.

But Nandi County URP chairman Sammy Choge and Women County Representative aspirant Judy Kosgey have supported the alliance saying it would be benefit the community.

“Kenyans including the Kalenjin should not fear the alliance since it means well,” said Mr Choge.

Their sentiments are echoed by Cherangany MP Joshua Kuttuny, who urged locals to embrace the merger saying they stood to benefit.

Some leaders like Endebess parliamentary aspirant Jeniffer Masis pointed at the cases the two aspirants are facing at The Hague saying they had no influence in the region owing to charges they are facing at the ICC.

Kitale deputy Mayor Pius Arap Kauka claimed the alliance did not have the interests of locals at heart but was “a movement aimed at benefiting the leaders in the alliance”.