Leaders don’t need to be close to you to get development, Murkomen to Uhuru

Elegeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen has challenged President Uhuru Kenyatta to visit every region in the company of his deputy to foster unity in the country. [File, Standard]

Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen on Saturday, May 29, told President Uhuru Kenyatta that elected leaders don’t have to be his friends to be recipients of development.

Murkomen termed as “unfortunate” remarks by President Kenyatta during his meeting with Luo Nyanza leaders on Friday, where he urged them to “take advantage of the Handshake” to get development projects.

Kenyatta met the Luo Nyanza leaders at State House, Nairobi ahead of Madaraka Day celebrations to be held in Kisumu on Tuesday, June 1.

Murkomen said development projects initiated by the national government should be independent of political alignments.

“Why should development of any part of Kenya be dependent on personal relationships with the President?” the senator posed on Twitter on Saturday.

Murkomen said uncompleted development projects in Rift Valley are likely to be abandoned because of the tense relationship between President Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto.

“No wonder projects like Arror, Kimwarer, Itare, Bosto, Keben, Londiani Hospital have been killed,” he alleged.

The lawmaker urged President Kenyatta to meet leaders from all regions in the company of his deputy to symbolise that the Executive arm of government is united.

Since independence, areas perceived to be opposed to the government of the day have been starved of development.

This has led to uneven development across the regions with regions that have produced presidents more developed compared to regions that have not.