Leaders back Uhuru over appointments

The recent State appointments continue to elicit mixed reactions in Rift Valley, with some leaders defending President Uhuru Kenyatta over claims of favouring one community.

The leaders downplayed reports that the recent ambassadorial and parastatal board appointments favoured one region.

Soy MP Caleb Kositany, a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto, yesterday defended Uhuru, saying he appointed Kenyans with capacity to serve in the ambassadorial and parastatal positions.

According to Mr Kositany, the President acted in good faith. He said critics were using the ethnicity debate to trivialise the appointments and further use it to divide the Jubilee Party.

“We have no issues with the President’s appointments, but I have an issue with why some people analyse the tribal percentage in the appointments,” the MP said after attending a Sunday service at PCEA Kamkunji in Eldoret, yesterday.

Kositany dismissed reports that team Kieleweke, an emerging faction in the Jubilee Party said to be allied to Uhuru, influenced the appointments at the expense of team Tanga Tanga, a faction said to lean towards Dr Ruto.

Moiben MP Silas Tiren, a critic of the DP, however said the vast Rift Valley region missed out on the appointments due to what he alleged was failure by Ruto and Cabinet members to influence for a fair share in the appointments.

 “Those complaining should tell Kenyans why they had not complained previously,” Kanu’s Rift Valley coordinator Paul Kibet said.