Split as URP resolves to expel rebels

Deputy President William Ruto’s United Republican Party (URP) is in dilemma over whether to discipline Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto who has defied its directive to abandon the push for a national referendum.

Last week, Ruto launched the collection of a million signatures to jump-start the Pesa Mashinani campaign in his Bomet County much to the chagrin of the URP leadership, who now view him as a rebel out to wreck the party from within.

The party’s leadership has indicated it is contemplating a drastic action to end rebellion. Party members we interviewed are divided over a proposal by the URP National Executive Council (NEC) on the way forward.

NEC has warned it would not allow its members to push the referendum agenda   in the name of safeguarding devolution. Governor Ruto is the chairman of the Council of Governors which has been championing the Pesa Mashinani drive. Governors want funds devolved to the counties raised from the current 15 per cent to 45 per cent of the national revenue.

The party has given Ruto, his Kericho counterpart Paul Chepkwony and Nandi’s Cleophas Langat an ultimatum to suspend the campaign or quit the party.

NEC, chaired by Elias Bare-Shill, says the only way to end rebellion in URP is to invoke disciplinary mechanism in the party’s constitution and also apply the Political Parties Act.

Bare-Shill, who succeeded Francis ole Kaparo as the party’s national chairman, says NEC wants Ruto to suspend the Pesa Mashinani campaign  or quit URP.

Some MPs from the Rift Valley, however, argue it will not be easy to crack the whip on errant governors who have shown open defiance to the Deputy President.

Kuresoi South MP Zakayo Cheruiyot has warned that threats and intimidation would not quell rebellion in the party and would instead inflame URP supporters. He wants the party leader to convene a National Delegates Conference (NDC) to deal with the emerging challenges rather than issue threats.

“URP will not survive in Rift Valley if its leadership continues to threaten elected leaders,” cautioned Cheruiyot.

Former Roads Minister Franklin Bett said expelling anyone from the party portrays intolerance.

“Expulsion amounts to muzzling freedom of expression. This will militate against the Bill of Rights. This reminds us of the dark days of the single party era,” said Bett.

Political pundits also view URP’s decision to discipline errant governors as one that might cause a backlash in Rift Valley, where the party generates much of its support.

“URP is at a loss on how to discipline members who have refused to toe the party line. All this is caused by failure to have a detailed protocol on discipline,” says political analyst Gitile Naituli.

Prof  Naituli, a don at Multimedia University College, says the move has serious political ramifications, taking into consideration that URP is a young party and the Opposition will be ready to accommodate those expelled from Jubilee.

“The Opposition is likely to welcome those expelled from URP with open arms much to the disadvantage of the ruling coalition,” he says.

URP governors backing the Pesa Mashinani initiative have been accused of working with Coalition for Reform and Democracy   to frustrate the Jubilee administration from implementing its manifesto. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso and Emurwa Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno are among leaders who want the rebels kicked out of URP. Speaking separately this week, the two leaders said renegades led by the Bomet Governor are violating the party constitution and that their continued stay in URP posed a major risk to the party.

Tug of war

“Politics is like a tug-of-war. If a member opposes his team, then the team will definitely lose to their opponent. This is something that we do not want and indeed, the Political Parties Act allows for disciplinary action against renegade members,” said Laboso.

Ng’eno said Ruto and his team are  supporting the referendum calls on behalf of CORD and should be expelled if they refuse to resign.

But Governor Ruto dismissed the resignation calls, and said the Jubilee government had resorted to peddling lies about his push for the referendum.

“So many lies have been peddled about my political interests, including false claims that I am being propped up to contest the presidency or to become someone’s running mate in the next General Election. Some have gone to the extent of seeking to portray me as corrupt.”

“Let it go on record that I hold no ambition for the institution of the presidency in the next General Election. I will be seeking to retain my position,” Ruto said.

Without elaborating, the Governor said that in the 2022 General Election, he will be free to contest any elective position.

Ruto said the propaganda campaign was designed to divert attention from his commitment for full implementation of devolution.

“We in Jubilee promised Kenyans that upon ascending to power, we would increase resource allocation to counties to facilitate development and create employment at the grassroots. We should deliver just that,” said Ruto.

Early this week, National Assembly Leader of Majority Aden Duale escalated his war of words with Governor Ruto over the referendum, saying the party was prepared to expel him if he fails to account for Sh185 million and abandon the push for the plebiscite.

Duale says the governor – and any other county chief elected on the party’s ticket – cannot escape scrutiny over funds use.

At the week, however, Duale appeared to suggest they may not expel the rebels, after all.

“Expulsion is not an issue. Those who have been asking us to expel rebel governors and other members have got it wrong because we have got mechanisms of holding them accountable,” he said.

“We understand that party rebels want to be expelled so that they go claiming the party lacks internal democracy and is not fit to be given another chance to serve Kenyans. We will contain them within,” Joseph Limo, Kipkelion East MP

Members of the URP National Executive Committee who met in Nakuru County this week endorsed the decision to take disciplinary measures against the rebel governors, saying the party’s decision and stand on the referendum was clear.

URP Executive Director David Koech talked tough, cautioning that the party was not afraid of taking disciplinary measures against the governors and that the law was clear on how to deal with dissidents in political parties.

“The Political Parties Act spells clearly how to deal with party members who support the ideals and agenda of another political party. Governor Ruto and his colleagues have violated the rules and must face the consequences,” he said. Koech, a former MP for Mosop constituency, argued that Governor Ruto’s push for a referendum has nothing to do with allocation of more resources to the counties since the Jubilee government has on two occasions increased funds given to the counties without being pressured.

“The issues the governors have been raising can be handled without a referendum,” he said, adding that governors and other leaders elected on a URP ticket were bound to champion the ideals of the party.

Political schemes

Bare-shill, who is also the Fafi MP, said political schemes adopted by Governor Ruto and some of his colleagues were similar to those former Prime Minister Raila Odinga employed when he fell out with former President Mwai Kibaki in the Rainbow Alliance.

Bare-shill claimed Ruto and the former PM were planning a political fallout in URP. URP Secretary General Fred Muteti reiterated the party’s NEC was not afraid of taking disciplinary action against governors pushing for the popular vote.

Muteti argues the party was strong on the ground and that any decision taken against the few governors supporting the referendum would not have an impact.

“NEC has spoken to all the 47 chairmen representing the counties and they have unanimously agreed that the few governors behind the referendum must denounce the vote or quit the party,” he adds. Early this week, Deputy President William Ruto claimed that only a handful of MCAs and Jubilee governors attended last weekend’s launch of the Pesa Mashinani function at Bomet Green Stadium, giving an indication that all will not be well with the campaign.

“The party has a manifesto. If some people are championing the position of other parties, they should be expelled,” Narok West MP Patrick Ntutu.

But Kericho Senator Charles Keter said: “We have not reached the point of expelling members. URP is still exploring other avenues of instilling discipline on those that have taken a different position.”

“As a party we must sit down and agree on whether we need to continue with those pushing for referendum or ask them to quit,” Narok Senator Stephen Ntutu.

“Party opponents are using these governors to wreck the party and we don’t want to allow them that chance. We will continue looking for solutions and try to convince them to tow the party’s position,” Johana Ngeno, Emurua Dikir MP