MP Peris Tobiko's husband Kishanto Ole Suuji attempts to stop William Ruto meeting

Drama unfolded on Friday when the husband of Kajiado East MP Peris Tobiko tried to block Deputy President William Ruto’ political meeting at their Iloprosat home.

Mr Kishanto Ole Suuji told off the DP for holding a political meeting in his home without his consent, stirring drama that involved the police and political leaders. Mr Suuji is a commissioner at the Commission for Revenue Allocation (CRA).

Clearly agitated, Mr Suuji accused the DP of working in cahoots with his wife to have a political rally at his Ilporosat family home without informing him.

Mr Suuji said he had been “irreparably hurt” by the DP and his wife's plot to bring people to their home with a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party agenda. “They have invaded my matrimonial home in Ilpolosat without my knowledge. They have destroyed crops and slaughtered my family’s animals,” said Mr Suuji.

Intruders

Mr Suuji told Nation.Africa that he had arrived at the home on Thursday night only to find dozens of people preparing for the meeting.

“To my shock I found tents already pitched and intruders preparing food ready for the political rally. I asked them to leave but they refused. They seemingly had been poisoned against me,” said Mr Suuji, adding that some of the people spent the night in the home. He said left out of fear of being roughed up.

Ms Tobiko defected to UDA on Friday and was being received by DP Ruto. She is eyeing the Kajiado governor’s seat.

 “I will not be intimidated by the State or those trying to incite my family against me. I am not a coward. I will soldier on,”Ms Tobiko told residents gathered at her home.

UDA supporters were ferried to the home as early as 6am from across the county using both private and public service vehicles.

As the delegates were waiting for the DP and his entourage, an agitated Mr Suuji was shuffling from one police station to another looking to file a complaint against his wife.

His first destination was at County Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha’s office where he held a private meeting before he left for the Isinya OCPD’s office, where he held a meeting with Isinya sub county police boss Ancent Kaloki. However, the security officials said the meeting had been permitted and it was too late to disrupt the meeting as it would cause more tension. Police officers had been deployed to maintain peace.

“Security-wise, stopping the political rally at the last minute could have turned chaotic. His complaint reached us too late. At the same time, a home is owned by the husband and wife,” said Mr Kaloki.

Mr Suuji said being a government officer, he would not have allowed a meeting of such nature to take place at his family home.

Mr Suuji, a keen supporter of ODM leader Raila Odinga’s bid for the presidency, said he would sue the DP and the MP for the invasion. He was prevailed by his handlers against going back to his home when the meeting was underway.

When Dr Ruto arrived at the homestead at 1pm flanked by several MPs,Ms Tobiko sat pensively beside him. When she rose to address the crowd, she never mentioned her husband.

“I mean well,I have brought value to UDA. I want fair and free nominations. My brothers in UDA targeting the gubernatorial ticket ought to embrace me so that we can form a formidable team,” said Ms Tobiko. She added that she left Jubilee after realising the county was lagging behind in development.

In a public meeting in Kajiado East a fortnight ago, Ms Tobiko gave Mr Odinga an ultimatum to either stop being “obsessed with Lenku” or she would defect. Dr Ruto was accompanied by nominated Senator Mary seneta,Nyali MP Mohammed Ali,nominated MP David ole Sankok,Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa, Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua and Kajiado Woman Representative Janet Teiya, among others.

Turf war

The meeting at Ilpolosat is the culmination of a turf war between Ms Tobiko and Kajiado South MP Katoo Ole Metito who was eyeing the UDA ticket.

DP Ruto’s camp has been wooing Ms Tobiko for the gubernatorial ticket after his think-tank advised him to accommodate both Mr Metito and Ms Tobiko to form a formidable team capable of challenging sitting governor Joseph Ole Lenku.

Ms Tobiko’s departure to the Tangatanga wing of the Jubilee party will definitely alter the arithmetic in Dr Ruto’s camp as Mr Metito has been the de facto UDA gubernatorial candidate for Kajiado.

It also puts the Tobiko family at a crossroads given that her brother, Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko, is an unapologetic critic of the DP and a big supporter of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr Odinga.

As much as Ms Tobiko’s joining of UDA can be perceived as a boost to the DP, it remains to be seen how Mr Metito, regarded the most experienced MP in the county, will take Dr Ruto’s dalliance with Ms Tobiko.

Mr Metito and former National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) Director-General Francis Meja who is also eyeing the UDA ticket for the governor’s seat were conspicuously missing from the meeting. Mr Katoo led UDA allied members of the county assembly to another political meeting in Kajiado West sub-county.