Governor Ruto disowns Jubilee says his administration is under CCM

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto has disowned Jubilee and declared his administration is under his newly formed Chama Cha Mashinani.

"I am leading a Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) administration and not a jubilee anymore. Let it be known because I have since decamped officially to the new party," declared the Governor when making an address at Bomet Green Stadium during Mashujaa Day Celebration.

He said the administration changed to CCM following the winding up of the United Republican Party (URP) whose ticket he rode into office in 2013 poll.

"It is official, I am a Governor representing Chama Cha Mashinani Party. All the County Government employees are working for a CCM government. When we talk about Mashinani we are not politicking, it is provided for by the constitution," Ruto told the County Commissioner Benard Leparmarai and other national government officials.

"Our rights to belong to different political party persuasion has been recognized by the constitution and that is why I have opposed any move, however subtle to turn Kenya into a single party state," the governor said

The Governor said CCM will engage in talks with Jubilee and Cord Presidential candidates ahead of the next general election and called on the region's residents to allow politicians from all parties to campaign in the region freely.

The pronouncement by the Governor comes in the hot heels of his listing by the Registrar of political parties Lucy Ndungu as being among leaders who wrote to decamp to new parties.

Ruto and thirteen MCAs in Bomet County among them elected and nominated were listed in a gazette notice to have decamped to CCM.

The vocal governor has opposed Jubilee merger saying it was going against the spirit of multi-party.

The move has put him in constant collision with the Deputy President William Ruto in Rift Valley who is pushing to have the region solidly in Jubilee party ahead of 2022 where he is expected to run for presidency.

However, the governor has held on to his gun saying he was exercising his democratic right and would not be forced to abandon his course.

The governor at the same time called for the recognition and rewarding of World War veterans by the government and alongside those who fought for multiparty democracy and enactment of a new constitution in the country.

"The heroes who fought for devolution right from independence should be honoured.Majimbo was misconstrued as a system to balkanize the country yet it meant devolution of power and resources," Ruto said.

The likes of Dr Timothy Njoya who fought for multipartism along with other Kenyans should be recognized for their role in the second liberation which gave birth to the new constitution.

The celebration was led by the county commissioner who called for tolerance among the various political divides in the county.

Leparmarai at the same time warned against hooliganism as the country heads to the next polls.