The trouble in Kericho

Kericho County now stands out as a region where MCAs have repeatedly defied President Ruto and the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party position, which has sought to bring the ongoing leadership squabbles to an end.

Governor Mutai is accused of overseeing the misappropriation and misallocation of county funds.

He is alleged to have abetted, condoned, and facilitated fictitious payments for works, goods, and services that were never delivered, amounting to millions of shillings.

Also Read: Kericho Governor Mutai faces second impeachment bid in under a year

 It is claimed that the payments were made in advance, even as the county accumulated pending bills totaling Sh1.1 billion over the past three years.

President Ruto had on November 24, 2024, during a meeting at Kipsitet in Kericho, directed the MCAs to end internal wrangles that were tarnishing the county's image and undermining his administration's unity agenda.

Despite this, MCAs went ahead and removed Deputy Speaker Erick Bett in a 47-27 vote, replacing him with Cheruiyot Bett on November 27, 2024.

"What are all the squabbles about? One minute I hear the Governor has been impeached, the next minute I hear you want to remove the Deputy Speaker. What is all this about? Don't you have other things to do?" President Ruto asked in frustration.

He had directed Governor Mutai and Speaker Patrick Mutai to work together for the benefit of Kericho residents.

That directive, however, was not followed and the conflict has continued to escalate nine months later.

Also Read: Kericho Governor Erick Mutai's impeachment moves forward despite court order

Dr Mutai's tenure has been marred by a fallout with his Deputy, Fred Kirui and persistent friction with a section of MCAs. His relationship with the County Assembly Speaker has also been fraught, further fueling instability in the county government.

"It is only President Ruto who can end the leadership wars in Kericho ahead of the next general election. He must ensure order reigns in his backyard, as this paints a bad picture of his administration," said Mr Sigey Bett, an advocate and political commentator.

"The MCAs may defy the party leadership but it remains to be seen whether they can openly revolt against the President if he takes a stand on the matter. I am sure Dr Ruto is closely monitoring the unfolding situation."

Dr Mutai was impeached on October 2, 2024, by 31 out of 47 MCAs following the initial motion tabled by Mr Rogony.

He was, however, saved by the Senate on October 14, 2024. At the time, he faced charges of gross violation of the Constitution, abuse of office, flouting the Leadership and Integrity Act, violating the Public Finance Management Act, misappropriation of public funds, illegal drawing of county revenue and engaging in indecent acts.

A short-lived truce followed but quickly fell apart, leading to the current standoff. If successful, this would be the first impeachment of a governor in President Ruto's home region.

Also Read: Erick Mutai trial: Senate to tackle legality of ouster, threshold question

Kericho Senator and Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot has also weighed in, demanding greater accountability from the county government.

Although once political allies, Mr Cheruiyot and Mutai have since fallen out, contributing to rising tensions.

Two weeks ago, Senator Cheruiyot directed MCAs at a public event to resolve the matter before August 6, 2025. That deadline was met with the approval of a second impeachment motion.

"He (Mutai) has grossly violated the Constitution, abused the office of Governor, and brought the office into disrepute. His conduct has made the county ungovernable," said Mr Rogony.

On August 6, 2025, just hours after the motion was tabled, a defiant Governor Mutai called for the dissolution of the county government, indicating he was willing to go down with his political opponents.

He accused Speaker Patrick Mutai of engineering his political downfall using a section of MCAs to grab power.

The county boss is alleged to have violated multiple laws, including the Constitution, the County Governments Act, the Public Finance Management Act and the Leadership and Integrity Act.

At the heart of the scandal is the alleged payment of Sh85 million to 28 companies for work not done and goods not supplied.

Deputy Governor Fred Kirui, once Dr Mutai's political partner, has emerged as a key whistleblower.

The pair fell out shortly after the 2022 elections with a reconciliation attempt by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua proving short-lived.

"My Deputy was a mistake from the word go. I regret picking him as my running mate," Governor Mutai said.

He also accused Speaker Patrick Mutai of harboring gubernatorial ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections.

"To the Speaker—if you want to be Governor, face me at the ballot, not through motions and manipulations. Let the people decide," he said.

Governor Mutai claimed that the MCAs were sabotaging service delivery and obstructing the county's progress. He accused the County Assembly of slashing development budgets and refusing to approve key appointments including the County Secretary and Public Service Board members.

"Instead of upholding the dignity of his office, the Speaker has weaponised the Assembly against the Executive and the people of Kericho," Mr Mutai charged.

"Let me be clear: I will not be held hostage by political ambitions. I was elected to serve, not to play chess with the livelihoods of Kericho residents," he concluded.

Mca Rogony claimed that financial records show serious governance failures, with undated and unsigned invoices, a lack of market surveys, and exorbitantly priced goods—all indicators of a breakdown in internal controls.

The power struggle in Kericho continues to attract national attention, with observers watching closely to see how President Ruto will navigate the storm brewing in his political stronghold.

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