Ruto faces onslaught from Biwott, UDM coalition

By Stephen Makabila                

Three months ago, United Republican Party (URP) presidential aspirant and Eldoret North MP William Ruto, asked Rift Valley Province electorate to vote ‘six-piece’ for his party candidates in the March 4 General Election.

Ruto spoke at a rally in Iten town, saying the party has to be strong with leaders at all levels.  But this drew criticism from former powerful Cabinet minister Nicholas Biwott, the National Vision Party (NVP) leader.

“The days of political euphoria are long gone and those dreaming the electorate would irrationally vote anyone who is being imposed would be in for a shock,” he said.

And five months to the General Election, Biwott’s NVP and the United Democratic Movement (UDM) have entered into a pre-election agreement that could also enjoin the former ruling party Kanu, in an attempt to clip Ruto’s wings in Rift Valley, even as the URP leader fights the onslaught by his former ODM party to regain ground in the Rift Valley. UDM National Executive Committee chaired by, General (rtd) John Koech met on Monday and gave the party leadership a go-ahead to enter a pre-election agreement with NVP.

“The meeting was by 30 NEC members among them Mogotio MP Hellen Sambili and vice-chairman Charfano Mokku,” UDM Secretary General Martin Kamwaro, told The Standard On Sunday.

Mr Kamwaro said there are chances of Kanu also joining the coalition, and that a joint secretariat to co-ordinate would be established, but the parties would decide on how to carry out nominations for elective positions.

Joint political rallies

Kanu chairman Gideon Moi has said the party National Governing Council would decide on pre-election arrangements and whether they would field a presidential candidate.

Speaking during the September 17 by-election, Gideon said Kanu would work with like minded-parties, but this decision would be subject to NDC as required by the party constitution.

Biwott, while speaking at Kapkenda in Keiyo recently, indicated that NVP, UDM and Kanu had indeed struck a pre-election agreement to hold joint political rallies.

The former Keiyo South MP added that the parties would support a common presidential candidate, who would be nominated by the parties’ national delegates committees and other candidates for elective seats.

“We found it important to team up after it became apparent all the three parties share similar development policies and ideologies,” he said.

Kamwaro, UDM Treasurer Ronald Zochin, other party officials and NVP aspirants from the Coast, Rift Valley, and North Eastern, attended the Kapkenda rally.

“These parties will supplement each other; each of the parties will field a candidate in their strongholds,” said Biwott, who is now Elgeyo-Marakwet County senate.

Kamwaro told The Standard On Sunday the new coalition would be fundamental in popularising the outfit in the Rift Valley and beyond.

 “Our focus is harmony, unity, peace, and development.  This is why we have teamed up in a pre-election coalition,” he added.

The Kapkenda rally came after another one at Mosiro in Narok, hosted by Kamwaro, and attended by NVP vice-chairman Johnson Satera, and the party director of elections, former MP Bishop Daniel Tanui.

Recover lost ground

The latest onslaught on URP comes at a time Ruto is trying to contain sustained efforts by ODM to recover lost ground in Rift Valley.

Leading the ODM brigade in the province is party chairman Henry Kosgey, who is also Industrialisation minister and Tinderet MP.

Other ministers allied to ODM in the region include Sally Kosgei (Agriculture), Margaret Kamar (Higher Education), Musa Sirma (East African Community), and Franklin Bett (Roads).  Kosgey and Bett have, however, been engaged in a silent war, with each wanting to become Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s presidential running mate.

Former Eldoret South MP David Koros, a Kosgey ally, says ODM will hold sway in Rift Valley if the Tinderet MP becomes Raila’s running mate.

Another set-back for PM’s attempt to make inroads in the region is the sensitive Mau re-settlement issue, which recently saw South Rift MPs allied to ODM, among them Assistant Ministers Magerer Langat, Beatrice Kones, and Sotik MP Joyce Laboso threaten to decamp from the party unless the evictees are re-settled.

South Rift MPs allied to Ruto’s URP include Julius Kones, (Konoin), Isaack Ruto (Chepalungu), Charles Keter (Belgut), and Benjamin Lang’at (Ainmoi), and Kuresoi MP Zakayo Cheruiyot.

The PM has promised to fast track the resettlement, but it remains to be seen whether he could navigate around the issue. And while Ruto enjoys some support in the province, his political future rests on the outcome of a court case challenging his eligibility to run for president.