Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto vows to fight police brutality

Bomet County Governor Isaac Ruto was seriously injured when he was hit by a teargas canister on his right eye during a youth function at Silibwet stadium Bomet County, a scuffle erupted when some youth stormed the stadium chanting Jublee Party caused chaos forcing the police to use teargas to disperse the crowd 07/11/16 [PHOTO:MOSES OMUSULA/Standard]

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto has vowed to fight police brutality in the run-up to the 2017 polls.

Speaking from South Africa where he is recuperating - after being flown for specialised treatment there after being hit by a teargas canister fired by police officers - Ruto said he had resolved to fight police brutality.

The governor, who is expected back in the country today (Friday) at 6pm, accused police of intolerance.

"I am coming back with renewed zeal to fight police brutality which has become rampant, never again should the police be allowed to harass Kenyans who decide to organise themselves and picket over a myriad of issues affecting them," he said.

Ruto said he was not the only victim of police brutality, which he said, was on the rise as the country prepares for next year's elections.

On Sunday, the governor will travel to Bomet to attend an interdenominational thanksgiving prayer meeting to be held at Bomet's green stadium.

Ruto's ally Emurua-Dikir MP Johanna Ngeno and Bomet County Director of Communications Kiprotich Samoei said plans were at an advanced stage to give the governor a grand welcome back to the county.

"We believe that the huge crowd that attended the last political rally Ruto and I addressed sent jitters to Jubilee and that is why they want to stop us, but we are telling them that we are unstoppable. There is a huge paradigm shift in South Rift politics," said Ngeno.

But Bomet Senator Wilfred Lesan told Ruto to stop politics of confrontation which he said, led to the violent incident in which the governor sustained the injuries.

Prof Lesan asked Ruto to embrace dialogue.

"The governor made a mistake to storm the stadium to demand the release of the youths, he should have visited the police station and talked to the officer in charge for full information why they had been arrested and he would have probably secured their release from there," he said.