Betrayal: Former envoy from Nandi castigates North Rift leaders for sycophancy

Former Kenya’s Ambassador to Australia Stephen Tarus during the interview at the Standard Group bureau in Eldoret. [Peter Ochieng/ Standard].

Former Kenyan Ambassador to Australia Stephen Tarus has hit out at elected Jubilee leaders in the North Rift, advising them to desist from being held captive by political parties and address issues facing the electorate.

Tarus, a former MP for Emgwen Constituency, said recent actions by most of the leaders in public forums portray the entire Jubilee leadership in bad light and would cost them the next election if they do not change their ways.

Mr Tarus was expressing fury over the utterances by a section of North Rift leaders from the United Republican Party (URP) during Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter’s thanksgiving ceremony in Lessos area where he was given an opportunity to address the public.

“We cannot continue praising leaders who have behaved prematurely just because they defended the coalition we belong to, we cannot continue reducing the face of our country in the name of being loyal,” said Tarus.

Most leaders from the Rift Valley who spoke during the ceremony congratulated Soy MP Julius Barchilei, saying he had been active during the recent parliamentary showdown when the Security Amendment Bill was passed.

The leaders said youthful parliamentarians like Barchilei were instrumental in ensuring the opposition did not succeed in barring the passage of the controversial Bill and urged them to continue being proactive.

But Tarus was concerned that such an action could be praised even by governors who should instead have offered wise counsel to help avert such irresponsible behaviour exhibited by an important institution like Parliament.

“We have remained captives of our political affiliations, making us fail to address real issues facing our people with the deserved seriousness,” explained Tarus.

Former nominated MP Mark Too asked Tarus to leave the current leaders to execute their duties.

But Tarus in rejoinder said Narc regime, in which he was an MP did so much.

“During the Narc regime tea farmers were paid Sh39 bonus, now they are getting Sh8 and we say that we are in power. How is that helping our people. Let us know that the voter will not remain the same in 2017 after all these tribulations,” said Tarus.

The event was attended by Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago, his Elgeyo Marakwet counterpart Alex Tolgos, Nandi Deputy Governor Dominic Biwott, Kericho Senator Charles Keter and several MPs from the Rift Valley region.