Ruto’s allies attack Gideon at burial of Baringo South MP

Deputy President William Ruto’s allies on Saturday used the burial of Baringo South MP Grace Kipchoim to attack Senator Gideon Moi following the DP’s failed mission to meet President Moi last Thursday. 

Despite Mr Ruto and Mr Gideon Moi shaking hands during the burial ceremony at Mochongoi in Baringo South, the former’s allies took the senator head-on, demanding that he drops his 2022 ambitions and allow his father’s friends to visit him.

In a tense burial ceremony for Mrs Kipchoim, who died of cancer last month, the two leaders sat close to each other with Deputy National Assembly Speaker Moses Cheboi separating them. They both, however, steered clear of the Kabarak visit in their speeches.

Mr Ruto also avoided any talk on the 2022 elections.
The DP arrived first accompanied by a number of politicians mostly belonging to the Jubilee Party. Senator Moi arrived much later. When Senator Moi arrived, Mr Ruto rose and welcomed him to the front row with a handshake.

POLITICAL TALK

When he rose to speak, Senator Moi asked leaders who had attacked him to respect his father.

“I am really begging you to stop involving my father in this. I do not have a problem with anyone who wants to say anything about me but I am requesting you to keep my father out of this,” said Mr Moi, who had initially said he would not engage in political talk in respect of the fallen MP.

Before the senator spoke, dozens of leaders had urged him to stop frustrating Mr Ruto’s 2022 presidential dreams, saying the DP was nearer to the throne than him.

All the leaders who spoke, from local MCAs, MPs and senators, were on Mr Moi’s case, who apparently had no one to defend him apart from himself.

Mr Moi’s allies, including Tiaty MP William Kamket, who have come out openly to support the blocking of Mr Ruto, were also not spared with local leaders warning him to stop insulting the DP. Mr Kamket is the only Kanu MP from Baringo.

COMPETITION
Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa warned that the political competition between the Kalenjin duo could cost the community the presidency in 2022, calling on Mr Moi to forego his presidential ambitions.
“The Rift Valley region cannot continue providing the stage for political theatrics while other regions are focusing on development,” said Mr Ichung’wa.

He said Jubilee had entered into an agreement which will see President Kenyatta lead for the last term, then the Mount Kenya region will back Deputy President William Ruto in 2022.

“We want to end the leadership of dynasties in this country and this can only be achieved if we vote in the Deputy President in 2022. I want to assure Kenyans that he will clinch it by all means,” he added.

Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen said they had no doubt about who would have a bigger chance to succeed President Kenyatta.

“We will vote for Mr Ruto in 2022 not because he comes from the Kalenjin community but because he has demonstrated the ability to perform,” said the Senate Majority Leader.

Marakwet East MP Kangogo Bowen said that the future of the Kalenjin community was in Jubilee.

SUPPORT

“We will back our own Deputy President in 2022. As a community, we will support one leader at a time and we call on Baringo Senator Gideon Moi to back the DP so as to unite the community,” he said.

Mr Cheboi, also Kuresoi North MP, made a passionate appeal to Mr Moi to allow Mr Ruto to run for the presidency saying he had a greater opportunity to clinch the seat than him.

“I respect the two men and I have done my research and it is clear that the DP will be in a better position,” he said.

Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi: “We have worked with Senator Moi on several. I want to tell him that he is a let down to the Kalenjin community because how can he allow the opposition leader Raila Odinga to meet the retired President Daniel Moi at his Kabarak home and lock out his brother DP Ruto?”

Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso also said there was nothing that would make the community to change their preference for the DP.

Mr Moi, although he did not speak much on his political ambitions, dismissed the leaders saying they had developed the habit of just mentioning his name anywhere they were.

MOTIVES

“All the time it is Gideon, Gideon, Gideon…if it is about Kenyans they know who they want to lead them. I respect all the leaders and do not want to question their motives of why they are attacking me. I know some thrive by trying to finish me politically but my focus is to serve Kenyans and not empty rhetoric of hurling insults at each other,” said the senator.

Mr Ruto did not speak at all about the next elections nor the humiliation he was served at Kabarak choosing instead to eulogise the late MP who died on April 20 after years battling colon cancer.

He also promised the constituents completion of projects started by Mrs Kipchoim. 

“The MP was a lady of an exemplary distinction who always had the interests of her people at heart and worked to ensure that sanity was restored in the insecurity prone areas in Baringo. The rampant cattle rustling was reduced courtesy of her.

“The government will ensure that the issuance of title deeds in Mochongoi settlement scheme is fast tracked. In honour of the departed MP, we will also construct cancer centers in all the major hospitals in all counties and will start with Baringo county before the end of this year,” said Mr Ruto.