Outspoken Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi has come under fire for insinuating that Eldoret politician and businessman Zedekiah Bundotich Kiprop alias Buzeki will not be allowed to vie for Uasin Gishu governorship in 2022.
In a two-minute video clip which has gone viral, Mr Sudi claims that Rift Valley rebels — singling out Buzeki — were being used to derail Deputy President William Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid.
“I speak this as a person of the street, and I know what I’m saying. If he is wise let him come back to Jubilee, we give him until December. Let me tell you the truth, Buzeki will not be governor while I’m here,” said Mr Sudi in his Kalenjin dialect.
Mr Sudi, who spoke on Saturday in Kuinet, Soy Sub-County, during the burial of Governor Jackson Mandago’s brother Johana Kinyor arap Kirwa, said that Buzeki stood a chance of succeeding Mr Mandago but had “joined the wrong party”.
His remarks irked a section of the youth from the region who have accused the legislator of promoting ethnic politics.
“Gone are the days when we would be coerced to join a political party. This time around we will not elect people through euphoria.
“We will elect the DP for the presidency but for the governor’s seat we will support Buzeki and the CCM party,” said Mr Enock Choge from Turbo.
The youth, who converged in Eldoret town on Monday, called on their leaders to engage in politics of decorum and avoid mudslinging.
“We want to remind Sudi that 2022 politics is not about tribes but agenda. We want issues which touch on ordinary wananchi. When our farmers were lacking subsidised fertiliser it’s only Buzeki who provided a solution while others were silent,” said Mr Sammy Mutienei, a youth leader.
“If he is interested in the governorship of Uasin Gishu, Sudi should sell his agenda to voters. Anybody, irrespective of tribe, has a right to vie for any political seat in Uasin Gishu,” Mr Mutienei added.
Mr Buzeki recently decamped to the former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto-led Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM).
Mr Buzeki has maintained that he does not want anything to do with team Tangatanga, which is associated with Mr Ruto.
Apart from Mr Buzeki, Mr Ruto’s allies have also been targeting Moiben MP Silas Tiren who has been a harsh critic of Mr Ruto.
Mr Tiren, a close ally of Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, has criticised Mr Sudi and other pro-Ruto leaders for being preoccupied with 2022 campaigns at the expense of service delivery to the people.
“We cannot talk about 2022 now when our people, especially farmers, are grappling with a lot of problems including lack of subsidised fertiliser. We have nothing to show as a region for being in this government,” said Mr Tiren.
Soy MP Caleb Kositany, a close ally of Mr Ruto, has dismissed Mr Tiren’s claims as unfounded and challenged him to state any bill he has moved in the National Assembly agitating for the welfare of farmers.
“I have prepared a bill to reform the National Cereals and Produce Board. And another one to streamline the New Kenya Cooperative Creameries,” said Mr Kositany.
Mr Sudi has accused rebel MPs for joining forces with the DP’s detractors to scuttle his 2022 presidential ambition saying their scheme will fail.
Mr Buzeki lost narrowly to Mr Mandago in the Jubilee primaries and quit to run as an independent candidate but lost to Mr Mandago, garnering 148,124 votes against his opponent’s 193,606.
