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It is common for political aspirants to seek endorsement from leaders whose nod is enough to propel them to great political heights.
Sitting Narok Governor, Samuel ole Tunai, knows that, just the reason he aligned himself with Deputy President William Ruto. But things seems not to be working considering the DP’s political stars appear to be dimming in Narok County, where Tunai has been accused of impropriety over revenues generated by the world-famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve leading to demonstrations, but DP Ruto defended him in 2014.
Five leaders who spearheaded the demonstrations were later arrested by police and locked up at the Muthaiga Police Station, leading to bad blood between DP Ruto and the Maasai community that stands to benefit the most from the Sh4 billion annual park fees from the Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
And although Tunai was later cleared of any wrong-doing by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the ‘Muthaiga Five’ — Narok Senator Stephen ole Ntutu, his brother Patrick Ntutu (Narok West), Johana Ng’eno (Emurua Dikirr), Korei ole Lemein(Narok South) and Narok North’s Moitalel ole Kenta maintained the rivalry against Tunai and even threatened to ditch Ruto’s URP party.
In a calculated move to ‘snatch’ the Narok-Maasai vote, which was lost to ODM’s Raila Odinga in the 2013 General Election, President Uhuru Kenyatta invited rebel Narok leaders to State House Nairobi this August, and later toured Narok to cement the political dalliance.
And just two weeks ago, Uhuru attended the home-coming party of engineer Johnson ole Nchoe, the newly-appointed Managing Director of the Geothermal Development Corporation (GDC), but it was not lost on observers that DP Ruto was missing in action. Insiders told The Nairobian that the DP was conveniently sent to cheer Team Kenya at the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil a day before President toured Narok where leaders had threatened to boycott the function if DP Ruto was present.
Despite having little power over the larger Maasai community in Narok, DP Ruto is highly influential among the Kalenjin present in Narok West, South and in Transmara — and its believed Tunai is banking on Ruto’s support in those areas. But in a tactical move viewed by observers as aimed at distancing himself from his perceived backing of Tunai, DP Ruto declared that “I and the President have no favourite candidate. The only endorsement all of us will be seeking is from the electorate,” he said while commissioning Maasai Technical institute three weeks ago. “Even me and the President will be looking for votes from Kenyans.”
These change of fortunes saw Tunai, a former NSIS man, realign himself with the President’s Jubilee Party in readiness for the nomination primaries which Uhuru announced will be conducted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Tunai will be facing off with Patrick Ntutu, the Narok West MP who remained in the Jubilee Alliance. Maasai leaders advised Uhuru to hunt for the 2017 Narok-Maasai vote alone without relying on DP Ruto or Governor Tunai.
“His Excellency, sisi hatuna shida hata kidogo na wewe... you are the best president this country as ever had. We will give you maximum support,” said Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno adding that when it came to Narok County politics, “leave it for us to sort out.”
Recently Governor Tunai attended a fundraising in aid of women groups attended by President Uhuru’s sons, Jomo and Jaba who donated Sh1 million from their father. Governor Tunai also footed the bill after the two Uhuru boys spent a night at a luxury camp at the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Coincidentally, his rival’s brother, Senator Stephen Ole Ntutu’s son was having his wedding on the same Saturday Uhuru boys came visiting.
The President gave the wedding a miss even as his boys flew to the Mara in the company of Governor Ntutu who is said to be planning Uhuru’s grand entry to Narok for the commissioning of various development projects as Tunai prepares to campaign for a second term as Governor.
