Tea politics, URP wave to play key role in poll results

BY PHILIP YEGON
TUESDAY, 5 FEBRUARY, 2013

Kericho county is synony- mous with tea growing in the country.

The county is endowed with good climate and fertile soils. Other agri- cultural activities are dairy farming, horticulture, maize, coffee and pine- apple production.

In a nutshell, the county’s economy is agribusiness. The county borders Nakuru, Nan- di, Nyamira, Homa Bay, Baringo, Bomet, Uasin Gishu and Kisumu counties.

It covers 2,479 square kilometres with a population of 758,339. Kericho town, the headquarters of the county is rapidly expanding and is now a home to corporate firms and a number of university colleges.

However, this has presented the challenge of housing with demand far outstripping supply. Investors, university and colleges’ students and tea workers are jostling for the few and costly available business and residential buildings.

The county has six constituencies — Bureti, Bel- gut, Kipkelion East, Kipkelion West, Soin/Sigowet and Ainamoi.

Politically, although the county is the epicentre of Kipsigis politics, the most populous Kalenjin community sub-tribe, it is cosmopolitan because the tea firms have attracted workers and investors from other communi- ties. Party politics, ethnicity, poverty, education and agriculture especially matters touching on tea will determine the outcome of the March 4 General Election even as the race for the first governor hots up.

The tea workers cannot be ignored since they provide swing votes and every candidate will use every trick in the book to endear themselves to them.

United Republican Party and Jubilee Coalition running mate William Ruto’s popularity will be put to testduring the elections of various repre- sentatives next month.

Aspirants who were eyeing vari- ous seats but lost during the party’s primaries protested the results and have since defected to other parties. “I quit URP for United Democratic Forum (UDF) because the primaries were not free and fair.

I am happy because I am sure my name is on the ballot,” said Jonah Keter, a candidate for governor’s post. Four candidates are eying the Governor seat. URP’s Prof Paul Kiprono Chepkwony and Keter are the front runners.

Each of the con- tenders enjoy considerable support across the county. A bruising battle will play out as each candidate works round the clock to capture the seat.

Chepkwo- ny won URP primaries after beating 7 opponents and will be flying high the party flag. Former Finance assis- tant minister Charles Kirui quit URP after he lost the primaries and is now firmly on the gubernatorial race.

Kirui has exuded confidence of emerging victorious arguing that he lost to the URP candidate under unclear circumstances.

“Our sup- porters are alive to the fact the primaries were not free and fair and I am appealing to them to support me next month. I am prepared and have what it takes to transform the Picture not available county,” Kirui said.

Political pundits say it will be a hard nut to crack for candidates eye- ing the seat on other tickets other than URP, saying URP is the party of choice in the region. Despite the bungled nominations, the party still enjoys a huge following.

They say the current URP and Jubilee coalition wave in the region would be a political game changer and therefore, those vying on other parties would have to up their game.

Prof Chepkwony formerly of Moi University came into limelight during the International Criminal Court (ICC) pre-trials on Kenya’s post-election violence suspects.

He appeared before the ICC, as a defense witness at the confirma- tion of charges hearings against six Kenyans, including Eldoret North MP William Ruto.

Political pundits say that The Hague date bolstered the aspirant’s image and gave him a chance to prove his worth. During the 2007 elections, the region overwhelmingly voted for the OrangeDemocratic Movement (ODM) led by the Prime minister Raila Odinga.

The party had also won all the par- liamentary seats in both Bomet and Kericho counties. “If elected as governor, I will en- sure the vast natural resources in the county are exploited to fight unemployment and poverty.

I will turn sports into an economic venture,” Chepkwony says. The don promises tea farmers of better pay if elected and roots for value addition of tea, arguing that it is the only way the farmers will reap maximum benefits from the cash crop.

Infrastructure and education are also his priorities. He says edu- cation standards have nose dived and therefore requires urgent in- tervention.

The county was ranked position 18th in the 2012 KCPE examination results and 34 out of 47 counties. Kirui , the Kanu can- didate says he will establish small industries in the county in line with creating job opportunities for the thousands of unemployed youth.