I am ready to chart a new political path come 2017 polls, says Ruto

Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto at the weekend said he was ready to form his own party to use in defending his position during the next General Election.

He said with all signs that Deputy President William Ruto's United Republican Party (URP) was readying to close shop he had to look for options.

The governor said he would not be forced to support outfits that do not represent his political ideologies and interests of Kenyans.

"I am ready to chart a new political path come the 2017 General Election, even if it means forming a new political outfit and I am not scared of plans that are in place to dissolve URP," he said.

Speaking at Dikirr Primary School in Emurua Dikirr constituency, Ruto said he was already approaching politicians from the region in readiness for the election.

"I will be talking with like-minded politicians like Baringo Senator Gideon Moi and other leaders from the region who are ready and willing to work with me so that we come together as we head to 2017 since it is very clear that URP and The National Alliance (TNA) want to dissolve and form Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) an idea I do not support," he said.

But in quick rejoinder, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso, who has declared that she will run against the governor in 2017, scoffed at the idea.

The Sotik MP said the Kalenjin community was firmly behind the deputy president and supported the formation of JAP and anyone going against that was committing "political suicide".

The deputy president has maintained that URP will dissolve and join hands with TNA to form JAP in a bid to speak with one voice as President Uhuru Kenyatta seeks his second term.

Speaking during the function, Gideon sought to set the record straight on his political stand saying he had nothing personal against the DP.

WEIGHTY MATTERS

Gideon said he was only voicing weighty matters that were bedeviling the community that was being ignored by the Government.

"I am only interested in issues of development and not going personal in politics and therefore my stand should not be misconstrued to mean anything else," he said.

Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ngeno said there was need for respect among leaders from the community for the sake of development.

Mr Ngeno said it was retrogressive to brand leaders as rebels for speaking their minds on issues development, adding that individual positions should be respected.

"The community will only go places when every leader's position is respected and leaders are allowed free space to air their views without being antagonised," he said.

Governor Ruto and Dr Laboso differed publicly on Saturday over plans to sack more than 200 staff of defunct local authorities in Bomet.

Laboso strongly criticised the plans by the county saying it was illegal to send home the staff who have served in various capacities even before the inception of the counties.

The lawmaker regretted that most of those who are lined up for dismissal are nearing their retirement adding that there was no excuse to force them out when they can be given options to take early retirement.

The National Assembly deputy speaker wondered why it was only in Bomet where the defunct local authorities were being targeted for firing despite dedicating their time to serve.

However, Ruto defended the county saying there was no plan sack any of the former local authority staff. He said the county had only asked all the staff from the defunct Sotik Town, Bomet Municipal and Bomet county councils to re-apply for their positions in a bid to bring them on board as county staff.