Forget South Rift votes, Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto tells Uhuruto

Bomet County Governor Isaac Ruto has warned President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto that they will not get any votes from the South Rift region owing to a poor development record.

Speaking at Gelegele trading Center in Sotik Sub County, Bomet County in a public baraza, the governor urged citizens not to vote in the Jubilee Government in the August General Election, saying it has failed to fulfill the promises it made to the electorate when it took power.

“You have refused to give us money to make roads and retained it in the national government, you have retained the money for health, maternity and water in the national government yet you say that the process of devolution has been completed. You have not employed primary school teachers; the citizens are employing them. We are tired, look for votes elsewhere,” he said.

The Bomet governor, who came to power under a URP ticket, has been a fierce critic of the regime, which led him to form the Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) party earlier in his term.

He had, however, pledged his support for President Uhuru Kenyatta in the coming polls, saying his only problem was with his deputy William Ruto.

In a recent visit to his home turf of Bomet, DP Ruto had urged the residents to vote him out in the coming polls.

Speaking in Sotik while issuing cheques to dairy farmers over outstanding debts owed to them by KCC, DP Ruto said Governor Ruto has continued to undermine the Jubilee government even when tangible projects had already been implemented by the national government.

“As I travel around Kenya bringing people to Jubilee to re-elect President Uhuru Kenyatta and thereafter I become the President, someone comes and tells you to go to Chama Cha Mashinani. You should not follow such a person blindly,” DP Ruto told the Bomet residents.

Governor Ruto slammed him for his remarks, saying he should stop trying to dictate to the people of Bomet whom to elect.

“The deputy president is not my campaign manager and he should know that even in 2013 I campaigned for him and President Uhuru Kenyatta and it is not vice versa,” he said.