Politicians took advantage of a funeral of a covid-19 victim in Baringo to debate the 2022 succession politics.
Speaking during the funeral of Isaac Cherogony, husband to Baringo Women Representative Gladwell Cheruiyot in Kabartonjo, the politicians took to opposing sides of who between the Deputy President William Ruto and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi would succeed President Kenyatta.
The tiff was sparked by Tirioko ward MCA Daniel Tuwit who alluded that the Baringo Senator was the right person for the seat as opposed to a tainted competitor he could not name.
“The Pokot People are saying that we have our own bull which is clean and that is Gideon Moi. Don’t listen to people to people telling you to castrate your bull because theirs has feasted on peoples farms and picked several diseases,” added the politicians in a coded message.
His line of thought was picked by Tiaty Member of Parliament William Kamket, who while referring to recent restructuring by the ruling party Jubilee, said there was no problem if the President dropped one Kalenjin from a position for another Kalenjin.
“Is there a problem if the seat moves from Ruto to Gideon?” posed the legislator who has never shied from supporting the Senator.
Muranga Women Representative Sabina Chege continued with the debate indicating that the political base was shifting to the independence party KANU.
“We have come together with the nominated Senator Abshiro Halake of KANU. As you can see, we are all slowly shifting to the party,” said the Women Rep who was also accompanied by her Kiambu counterpart Gachoni wa Muchomba.
Abshiro said they owed their ability to attend the funeral to the KANU party chairman who availed the helicopter that ferried them to the Kapkiamo village venue.
The area Member of Parliament William Cheptumo while trying to steer out of politics said that they should pray for the leadership and the nation of Kenya because the nation belongs to all despite party, tribe, race or wealth status.
“My brother Kamket has spoken and left but had he stayed and listened, he would not forget this day. Baringo North is not a place to bring such politics. It’s not bad to change the leadership but the problem is how it was done and the intention,” said the legislator who lost Justice and Legal Affairs Parliamentary Committee leadership.
Baringo Deputy Governor Jacob Chepkwony called on the leaders to respect each other irrespective of their political affiliations.
“As a leader, I am on a political alignment, another is on a different one. The clarion call is to respect each other. There is time for everything but for now let’s direct our people to development path,” said the DG picking excerpts from the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible.
Speaking in Kalenjin dialect, the Deputy Governor called on the top leadership of the country to give direction to the people.
The leaders condoled with the Women Representative and her family and called on the residents of Baringo to continue supporting her.
They said that Covid-19 is a reality and that no one should stigmatize the family over the fate.
“The family was tested and they are free of the virus so don’t fear them, come mourn with them,” Sabina Chege who is also the chairperson of Parliamentary Committee on Health said.
The burial rites were conducted by the public health officials dressed in full personal protective kit who later fumigated the compound to avert any possible transmission of the virus.
By Christopher Kiprop
