Jubilee supporters threaten to support Kanu candidate in Kericho by-election

Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter (right) shares a word with Aaron Cheruiyot the Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) candidate in the Kericho senatorial race. (PHOTO: COURTESY)

Angry Kericho residents led by former Kipkelion Councillor Richard Bii have told Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) leaders, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto that they would reject the party's candidate for the Kericho senatorial seat, Aaron Cheruiyot.

In what they termed "Siret declaration", the group vowed that they would instead troop behind Kanu candidate Paul Sang in the March 7 by-election.

Bii argued that though they were until two weeks ago staunch Jubilee supporters, they were disheartened that jubilee leaders had allegedly allowed JAP mandarins to interfere in the recently concluded party preliminaries won by Cheruiyot.

Former National Housing Corporation Chairman Sammy Chepkwony and former Members of Parliament Magerer Langat and Franklin Bett, three other candidates who were in the race to clinch the party's mandate are on record claiming that the January 15 nomination exercise was riddled with irregularities.

Through his advocate, Law Society of Kenya (LSK) South Rift branch chairman Erastus Orina, Chepkwony took a step further and filed a formal complaint with the party's elections and disputes tribunal.

"We have decided to give Jubilee a short break until the 2017 general election. Until then, we are going to campaign and vote the Kanu candidate to take the Kericho sensorial seat as Jubilee puts its house in order," said Bii during the meeting held in Siret Trading Center in Kipkelion West constituency.

But in quick rejoinder, area Member of Parliament Jackson Rop and his Ainamoi counterpart, Benjamin Langat argued that Kericho was a jubilee zone and JAP would retain the seat left vacant upon the appointment of Charles Keter to the cabinet.

"As the county elected leaders, we had agreed that we were not going to take sides during the party nomination exercise but since the process was successfully concluded and the residents picked Aaron Cheruiyot we are going to vigorously campaign for him and there is no doubt that jubilee would retain the seat," said Rop.

Keter also broke his silence and endorsed Cheruiyot to succeed him at the senate. He appealed to the area residents to show gratitude to the government for the several development projects initiated in the county.

"I am one of the founder members of Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) and as I accepted my appointment to the cabinet, I promised President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Deputy President William Ruto that jubilee would retain my seat," said Keter.

Nonetheless, Easter Kirui vowed that no amount of persuasion or intimidation by jubilee leaders would force them to change their minds.

"Had the nomination exercise been free and fair, we would have definitely accepted the results and backed the Jubilee candidate. But since Kipkelion was denied their democratic right, the March 7 by-election is our opportunity to strike back. It will be a new dawn, the cock (Kanu) will crow," she said.