Ruto for presidency in 2017, keter says on behalf of DP

NANDI COUNTY: Nandi Hills MP
Alfred Keter has challenged Deputy
President and United Republican
Party (URP) leader William Ruto to
vie for presidency in 2017 citing a
raw deal in the Jubilee coalition.
The outspoken MP says their The
National Alliance (TNA) members
have made the URP camp to lose
trust with the side lining shown in
making key government decisions.
Keter added that the Rift Valley
region that is dominantly URP has
been side lined in terms of
development projects and
appointments in state offices.
“We are a significant partners in the
Jubilee government and we expect to
benefit just as our pre-election pact
states,” he stated.
According to Keter the Jubilee
leadership has stalled major basic
projects in the Rift valley including
the construction of three major
roads that were initiated by
President Kibaki.
Eldoret-Ziwa-Kachibora, Mosoriot-
Kaiboi and Chepterit-Baraton roads
are among the projects the legislator
says President Uhuru Kenyatta’s
government has deliberately ignored
while prioritizing development in his
backyard.
“We cannot keep quiet when we see
the contractors withdrawing their
machinery from here citing lack of
funds yet these projects had been
approved by the national
government, they should have
prioritized funding of such projects,”
he explained.
He also raised concern with what he
termed as neglect by the
government to resettle the Ogiek and
Ndorobo communities that were
evicted from Serengonik forest more
than ten years ago with the promise
that they would be given alternative
settlement.
“I continue to question the
government’s consideration of the
Sererengonik evictees resettlement
because all other people who were
internally displaced were given a
place to continue with their lives,”
he added.
Keter challenged Ruto talk about the
correction of issues raised by the
URP members in the coalition since
they are genuinely salvaging him
from betrayal.
“Our leader should read the signs,
when you rear cattle it is advisable
that you sleep with an eye open lest
your cows be carted away while in
slumber, he should lead the way to
edit the pre-election marriage
agreement” he pointed to Ruto.
Keter explained that Ruto should
push for the presidency in 2017 so
that he leads for five years and
return the baton to Uhuru to
complete his second term in 2022.
“If Ruto is afraid to lead the
challenge let him delegate the
mandate to me so that I vie for the
top position in 2017,” he said amid
a loud applause from Nandi
residents.
However, Nandi senator called for
sobriety and calm among the URP
camp in the Rift Valley while
addressing issues they feel should
be corrected in the coalition.
“Let us not blow the appointment
and other decision making issues
out of proportion, we should exercise
caution while representing our
community so that the ,opposition
does not find a loophole to bring
our house down,” he stated.