The Kalenjin Council of Elders now wants Baringo Senator Gideon Moi to wait until 2032 for the community’s blessings to contest for the presidency, saying it has already endorsed Deputy President William Ruto for the State House seat.
The council, popularly known as Myoot, said the community can only rally behind the Baringo senator once the second-in-command is done with his 10 years at the helm, starting with a 2022 stab at the presidency.
"Ruto is number two in the pecking order and closer to power. Kenyans have also shown faith in him. He was trusted by Kenyans and that's why he campaigned alongside President Uhuru Kenyatta and garnered more votes," Mr Benjamin Kitur, the council’s chairman said at the weekend.
He warned the community against fronting two of its best players, arguing they risk splitting the votes to the benefit of competition.
“The leaders should demonstrate political maturity. Despite coming from different parties, they should put aside their party differences and focus on the agenda of development and tell the president what problems we the people of North Rift are facing,” he added.
Last week, more than 50 Kalenjin elders who met at the Reformed Church of East Africa in Eldoret unanimously agreed and declared support for Dr Ruto in his quest for the presidency. The chairman said the move followed consultations over time.
The elders pledged to unite all political leaders from the region in bid to shape the region's politics ahead of 2022 elections.
While the position taken by the Myoot was sweet music to the ears of DP Ruto’s supporters, it attracted instant condemnation from Kanu Secretary-General Nick Salat who accused Myoot of showing bias when they should be uniting the community.
“How do you tell someone who is over 50 to shelve their ambition for another? It is not only unfair but also serious contempt that we cannot allow to happen,” Mr Salat said.
“As a party, we are satisfied by the kind of support we have received from elders across the country. We have our eyes on the goal and won’t be distracted,” he added.
The SG argues that if anything, the elders should be happy that at least two of their prominent sons were demonstrating the ambition to lead the country.
“What we are achieving is unity of the whole country and it is not driven by personal interest or politics. We need to lead by example to be united as a country and it cannot be achieved without communities being united,” Mr Kitur said.
He said they had done random surveys in the region and that a vast majority os in support of the DP’s State House ambition compared to Mr Moi.
The development will no doubt rattle Moi’s camp at a time he has been crisscrossing the expansive Rift Valley to galvanise support ahead of the next elections.
The Myoot council is an umbrella body of all the 10 sub-tribes of Kalenjin the — comprising the Nandi, Kipsigis, Tugen, Marakwet, Keiyo, Pokot, Sabaot, Cherangany, Ogiek and Terik.
Although the DP already enjoys near fanatical following from the vote-rich community, the pronouncement will help cement the support and in the process free him to concentrate on wooing other regions as his backyard is already in the basket.
Dr Ruto was last year crowned the Kalenjin spokesman in a ceremony conducted by Talai elders at Kapsisywo in Nandi County.
But last week, the Baringo senator was also installed as a Kalenjin elder by a section of Talai elders, triggering controversy.
Talais are respected among the Kalenjin and were known to produce fierce warriors in the olden days.
Orkoiyot Koitalel arap Samoei, for instance, led the Nandi in a 10-year resistance against the British starting 1895.
Speaking to the Nation in Kapenguria, immediate former chairman of the council elders James Lokwo who attended the elders meeting dismissed the installation of Senator Moi as inconsequential.
He said Mr Moi could only be crowned when the DP is recalled, stripped off the title or if he is dead.
“DP Ruto has our blessings. He is equal to the task since he joined politics in the '90s, unlike Gideon who rolled up his sleeves after his father Daniel Moi retired in 2002,” he said.
“We don’t want to risk losing the 2022 presidential race due to a battle of egos between the two leaders. Let Gideon suspend his ambitions,” he said.
The elders said they will not lead the community to vote when divided politically, adding that leaders from the region have no differences whatsoever.
“We shall try and front one candidate for presidency come 2022 to shun prolonged disunity in the region,” said Lokwo.
Further, the elders called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to honour his promise of supporting his deputy in the next polls. They said signs that the two are not reading from the same script with their allies wrangling is not a good sign for their son.
“He said it publicly. We are committed to fully support our son and his boss should do the same,” the chairman said.
