DP William Ruto reassures Kenyans of fair primaries

Dp William Ruto is served Mursik at the home of Grace Tele who was connected with electricty for the last mile programme in Mogogosiek Bomet county.pic\Charles Kimani\DPPS

Deputy President William Ruto yesterday launched a fresh attack on Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto and reassured Jubilee Party has no preferred candidates.

The DP attacked the governor, who refused to join Jubilee Party, claiming he was seeking to sow seeds of discord among the Kalenjin.

He also sought to dispel suggestions that he and President Uhuru had favourites in the upcoming party nominations.

"Let no one cheat you that we as the party leaders have preferred candidates for any seat even here in Bomet. It is the electorate who will pick candidates for Jubilee," Ruto said during a visit to Bomet.

The contest for Jubilee Party's ticket for the Bomet governorship is heating up between National Assembly Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso and former Konoin MP Julius Kones.

The two are seeking to unseat Governor Ruto, who has stuck to his Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) party.

There's disquiet among some Jubilee aspirants in Bomet after female Jubilee MPs toured the county recently, claiming they had been sent by President Kenyatta and his deputy to drum up support for Ms Laboso.

Ruto clarified that all aspirants would have equal opportunities in the party.

"We will only endorse candidates after nomination but, as we speak, we do not have favourites for any seat. All those who have expressed interest are ours," Ruto added.

Last week, Ruto gave the same assurance to aspirants for the Nairobi governorship Mike Sonko (Nairobi Senator), Dennis Waweru (Dagoretti MP) and former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru who had challenged him at a meeting in Eastleigh on Jubilee's nominations.

Elected leaders and aspirants are opening parallel Jubilee Party branch offices and others have even declared themselves interim officials, hoping to gain an edge over rivals.

New electoral rules bar defection after party nominations, which has made the fight for the tickets of the main parties a do-or-die affair.

There is a perception that Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa is the preferred Jubilee Party candidate for the Nairobi governorship. Nominated MP Johnson Sakaja is also eyeing the ruling coalition's ticket.

Speaking yesterday when he presided over a fundraiser at St Teresa Catholic Church in Konoin, Ruto welcomed the contest in Bomet between Laboso and Kones, noting their competition was healthy.

The Deputy President was accompanied by Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter, Kericho Governor Paul Chepkwony, Senator Wilfred Lesan, MPs Ronald Tonui (Bomet Central), Paul Bii (Chepalungu), Sammy Koech (Konoin), Leonard Sang (Bureti), Bernard Bett (Bomet East) and several MCAs led by Speaker Geoffrey Kipngetich.

Ruto hit out at the Bomet governor, who kept off his tour, and asked Jubilee supporters to ignore him.

He accused the governor of being anti-development, citing his recent opposition to the setting up of a university in Bomet town and refusal to sign for the supply of medical equipment to the county.

"It beats logic for a leader elected to deliver development to oppose such projects that are meant to improve the lives of the people," said Ruto.