President Ruto wades into Kamket-Jematia feud over Baringo banditry

The war of words between Baringo Woman Representative Florence Jematia and Tiaty MP William Kamket over banditry in Baringo may have been silenced after President William Ruto came to the defence of the latter during his visit to the county on Sunday.

Mr Kamket, who was previously a sharp critic of Dr Ruto, ditched the Raila Odinga-led Azimio movement and declared his support for Kenya Kwanza soon after the elections.

Ms Jematia has always taken on the Tiaty MP over banditry, claiming he was not doing enough to stop his community in Tiaty from engaging in the vice.

Mr Kamket has threatened to sue Ms Jematia, a former East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP, over her remarks that the former views as defamatory.

Attending an inter-denominational service on Sunday at the ASK showground in Kabarnet, however, Dr Ruto silenced Mr Kamket’s critics when he praised him as a good leader who strives to unite the warring communities.

A peace loving man

Dr Ruto described Mr Kamket as a peace-loving man who champions peaceful coexistence.

“I want to thank MP Kamket. This gentleman is a leader because he wants peace to prevail in the war-torn areas and unite all warring communities,” he said.

“There are some people piling pressure on local leaders from those affected areas, threatening that if they will not heed their demands of agitating for certain agendas, then they will not vote for them. Elections are over and we should now focus on development and unity among all communities,” the President said.

He said a majority of the population in Tiaty constituency perceived to be harbouring suspected criminals want peace.

“We know that thousands of people in Tiaty are peace-loving and they want peace to reign, but there are a few criminals terrorising people and the government as well,” he said. 

“Leave them to me. I know what they deserve and they must face the consequences unless they return all illegal firearms. They must be stopped; it is not if but when. 

“I have not heard a leader agitating for people to fight anyway, so the criminals should tell us why they are doing so.”

For peace to be achieved, the President said, there must be unity among local leaders and residents.

Gachagua turns down Kamket 

Speaking at the same event, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had earlier, however, told off the Tiaty MP on his request to remove road blocks mounted by security officers deployed in his constituency crackdown on armed criminals and carry out gun mop up.

Mr Kamket, speaking at the Sunday prayers, claimed that his constituents had been ravaged by hunger owing to the long dry spell and the road blocks had worsened the situation because it was barring them from getting food supplies from other major towns.

“The food crisis has taken its toll on my people and I appeal to you, Mr President, to remove the roadblocks mounted along Marigat-Chemolingot road. Bandits are in their hideouts- far flung villages and the security officers should pursue them instead of blocking major roads in the constituency,” the MP said.

“The majority of people in Tiaty are good people and they need peace to prevail. I appeal to you to hear my humble plea and I am behind you in ensuring that normalcy returns in the disturbed areas,” he added.

Roadblocks to stay

However, the DP was categorical that the road blocks will not be removed unless all illegal firearms in the arms of civilians are recovered.

“I met leaders from the volatile counties in the North Rift region earlier as you had instructed in a bid to look for a way forward in ending the perennial attacks and we unanimously agreed to deploy police officers to carry out security operation and flush out armed bandits and the exercise kicked off as agreed,” said Mr Gachagua.

“I have heard Kamket’s plea to the President to remove the roadblocks, but let me tell you that those officers are not idle. They have a lot of work that needs to be done but they were deployed there because they have a mission to accomplish. The only way we will do so is if local leaders agree and look for a way in convincing the residents to surrender illegal arms, that’s all,” the DP said.

“I want to tell you in the presence of the President that if the guns will be surrendered then the officers will stay put. We know those wreaking havoc are few criminals and you should talk to them so that we begin taking development to the affected villages,” he stated.

Commitment questioned

Ms Jematia has argued several times that Mr Kamket is not committed to ending banditry in Baringo County, and that this was illustrated by his absence from meetings meant to address the problem. She claimed that his decision to join Kenya Kwanza was not genuine either.

Following her recent remarks, Mr Kamket instructed his lawyers to write to her and demand an apology over her statements.

An irked Mr Kamket felt that the woman representative was making unsubstantiated accusations and tainting his image. In his letter to Ms Jematia, he demanded an apology over her alleged ‘defamatory and malicious’ remarks that he said had subjected his character to question, public ridicule and condemnation.

Mr Kamket claimed Ms Jematia’s utterances suggested that he was responsible for banditry in the troubled part of the Rift Valley.

“Your pronouncements have not only lowered our client’s reputation but also destroyed him completely as an internationally renowned journalist, respected legislator, bastion for the rights of the minority and marginalized, husband leader and father,” the lawyers stated.

Dared Kamket

In response, Ms Jematia’s lawyers dismissed the claims and dared Mr Kamket to go ahead and take her to court.

“It is worth noting that your client has been a perpetual absentee during discussions of such crucial issues,” the letter said. 

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