Shut up or quit, Keter tells Bomet, Kericho governors

Kericho Senator Charles Keter has asked two renegade United Republican Party (URP) governors to toe the line or quit.

Keter, who is one of URP's founders, told Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto and his Kericho counterpart Paul Chepkwony that party leaders and supporters have had enough of their bickering and constant criticism.

The senator said they will not allow the duo to divide the Kalenjin community through their contempt of the party and disrespect towards its leader, Deputy President William Ruto.

"Enough is enough. I am challenging Governors Ruto and Chepkwony to make up their minds once and for all. They either demonstrate they are in URP or officially declare they have quit the party," said Keter.

Speaking in Kericho town, Keter said the party had begun a disciplinary process and backed the decision of the National Executive Council (NEC) to expel nine nominated Members of County Assembly (MCAs) in Bomet.

"URP has every right to expel nominated MCAs who no longer represent the interests of the party. The decision of the NEC is final and it cannot be compelled to reinstate them," he said.

But speaking during joint Labour Day celebrations between Kericho and Bomet counties at Kericho Green Stadium, Governor Ruto demanded the immediate reinstatement of the nine expelled on Thursday.

He said the expulsion was executed by "strangers" purporting to be members of the party's NEC. (See separate story on 21)

"Who are those purporting to be chairman and secretary general of URP? Who appointed them and who elected the NEC? Those people are strangers because as far as I am concerned, members did not elect them. We will deal with them," he said.

Ruto claimed the decision to fire the MCAs was part of a wider scheme to frustrate and kick him out of office, but challenged the URP leadership to cease the "cowardly moves" and instead bring the battle to him.

"Instead of punishing innocent nominated MCAs, I dare the URP leaders to take on me by attempting to expel me from the party," he said.

But Keter accused Ruto and Chepkwony of losing focus and trying to engage the DP and other leaders from South Rift in political contests.

"The other day they held a fundraiser to offset rent arrears for one of the URP party offices in Kericho. Is that part of their mandate?" Keter said.

He castigated Chepkwony for being roped into Bomet governor's power games. "Chepkwony should tell us clearly whether he is standing with DP Ruto or with Governor Ruto so that we know what step to take next. Governor Ruto has his own agenda and he is misleading Chepkwony," he said.

However, the two governors shot back by asking the DP to handover URP to loyal party members.

"If the current URP leaders are no longer interested in the party, let them leave it to us to determine what to do with it. We are ready to rebrand it for the 2017 general election," Ruto said.

The governors made the remarks during a harambee to offset rent balance for URP offices in Litein town, Kericho County, on Tuesday.

Governor Ruto dismissed the formation of Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) by URP and The National Alliance (TNA) leaders as an ill-thought move that has been rejected by South Rift residents.

They also criticised the eviction of Mau forest settlers saying it is ill-advised since it was being conducted during a rainy season exposing children and the elderly to diseases and other problems.

They accused the government of complicating the matter further by refusing to sit down with the the governors of the four counties bordering the Mau forest complex with a view of preserving the water tower and re-settling the evictees.