Let’s help Uhuru deliver on his agenda, Gideon tells leaders

Baringo Senator Gideon Moi is installed as a Sabaot elder at Kapsokwony in Mt Elgon, Bungoma county, yesterday. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Kanu Chairman Gideon Moi has urged leaders to stop focusing on 2022 succession politics and instead help President Uhuru Kenyatta achieve the Big Four agenda.

“Certain people have been threatening others about 2022, they must realise that some people cannot be threatened,” he said.

The Baringo senator said corruption remains a major cause of poverty in Kenya and urged leaders to help the President fight the vice.

He was speaking at Kapsokwony in Mount Elgon yesterday, where he was installed as a Kalenjin elder.

Gideon, who was accompanied by Chama Cha Mashinani party leader Isaac Ruto, attended a service at the Kapsokwony Seventh Day Adventist church and later addressed hundreds of supporters at Kapsokwony market.

The elders anointed him with special ointment, dressed him in traditional Sabaot regalia and gave him a traditional three-legged stool and a spear to symbolise power and their blessings.

“This is the cradle land of the Kalenjin community, his crowning makes him a leader, he is free to go out there and fight for whatever seat he desires,” said Richard Chebuyo, 74, who led the ritual.

“It is here former President Moi was anointed in 2002, President Uhuru Kenyatta was also crowned as an elder here and now it is Gideon’s turn to get the elders’ blessings,” said Chebuyo.

Chebuyo ruled out possibility of crowning any other political leader, saying it was an abomination to do so.

The senator thanked the elders and locals for their warm welcome and promised to visit the area more frequently to initiate development projects and give them the direction to follow.

Ruto said he chose to accompany the senator to the Kalenjin cradle land and witness the crowning. He appealed to the government to resettle families targeted for eviction from the Mau Forest.

“We have no problem with efforts to conserve Mau Forest. However, let the families affected be given alternative resettlement place,” said Ruto.

The former Bomet governor said it would be inhumane to eject the people from the trust land where they have lived in harmony with the Masaai community for many years.

Others accompanying the Kanu boss were Tiaty MP William Kamket, his Moiben counterpart Silas Tiren, nominated Senator Zipporah Kittony and former Mount Elgon MPs John Serut and Joe Kimkung’.

Kamket said he was humbled to see Gideon crowned a Kalenjin elder, a clear indication of how the political scenario will look going forward.

“What the elders have done will give a clear political direction in the country. You have shown Kenyans how the politics will start shaping ahead of 2022,” he said.

He told Gideon to declare his presidential ambition, but when he stood to speak, the senator said he will make his position known at the right time.

“We respect President Uhuru’s request for us to work for the people and shelve early campaigns. I will come back to tell you the direction to follow,” said Gideon.

Tiren said politics in Kenya had taken the wrong direction due to rampant corruption.

“We want a country whose leaders can fix the challenges facing the people, those opposed to the war against corruption are real enemies of development,” said Tiren.

Serut and Kimkung’ vowed to back Gideon’s presidential bid come 2022.

Kimkung’ took issue with team Tanga Tanga, accusing them of dividing Kenyans along ethnic lines. 

“Kenya and the Kalenjin community belong to all of us,” he said.

Serut said Gideon was free to visit any part of Kenya “and we shall accompany you to every corner of the country you visit”.

He said the Kanu chairman stands a better chance to liberate the Kalenjin community as a leader and warned locals against being swayed by politicians who dish out cash during campaigns.

Kittony said Gideon was a humble and obedient leader whose development record speaks for itself.