Kipsigis community likely to swing key vote in Narok
The 100,000 Kipsigis community vote is turning out to be a key battleground in the Narok governor race between Azimio’s Moitalel ole Kenta and his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) competitor Patrick ole Ntutu.
Despite Kenta and Ntutu hailing from the populous Purko clan of the Maasai community, the Mau Forest saga and Kipsigis vote are seen as the fault lines along which the battle for control of Narok will be fought.
Kipsigis occupy Emurua Dikirr, Narok West and Narok South constituencies. They have always played a significant role in shaping local politics because they vote as a bloc.
The Kipsigis factor influenced Ntutu’s choice of 26-year-old Tamalinye Koech from Emurua Dikirr constituency as his running mate, while Kenta settled on William Oltetia, a seasoned banker from Ilwuasingishu clan from Transmara West.
Ole Kenta, who has attracted the support of Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko, has been whipping Maasai nationalism fervour in his campaigns, drawing protests from outgoing governor Samuel Tunai, who has accused him of engaging in divisive politics.
The Maasai vote, which is nearly 250,000 from the eight clans including the Purko, Keekonyokie, Ildamat, Uruasi Ngishu, Loita, Moitanik, Siria and Dorobos will be another battleground for the two candidates.
Other minority tribes have close to 50,000 people mainly Kikuyu, Luo and Abagusii communities who trade in Narok town.
Kenta is seen as the likely beneficiary of the Maasai bloc. However, on Tuesday, Kenta made a daring political foray into one of the Kipsigis-inhabited constituencies - Narok South - in an effort to shed off the tribal tag that his opponents are using against him after picking his kinsman for a running-mate.
Promised jobs
The Narok North MP, who addressed a rally at Kimogoro trading centre declared he was not anti-Kipsigis as it has previously been portrayed as promising members of the community jobs in his government and to champion resettlement of the Maasai Mau evictees if elected.
“I am here today for you to see that I am just as human as you are, and assure the community that you are equally important like the Maasai community and you will benefit equally if we form the government after the August 9 poll,” said Kenta.
On the Maasai Mau forest evictions, Kenta distanced himself from the 2019 exercise saying those behind the exercise were close to the community leaders in political or government positions.
“I was not behind the evictions. The evictions were carried out by leaders who were in power including Deputy President William Ruto, Governor Samuel Tunai, the area MP Korei Lemein, Woman Rep Soipan Kudate, CAS Joseph Boinett while my competitor Ole Ntutu was Interior CAS,” said Kenta.
He reiterated that there were cartels who had duped the settlers into buying forest land including family members of his competitor who he didn’t name but stressed that they must return money to the evictees.
“Some known land merchants cheated settlers into buying ‘air’ in the forest and if I win, I will ensure that those cartels are brought to book,” he said.
Ntutu has endeared himself to the Kipsigis community due to his closeness with Ruto and Tunai.
He has been assuring residents of his Kenya Kwanza team are inclusive and that his opponents are tribal for not considering deputy governor position to the community.
However, Ntutu who had been endorsed by Governor Tunai as his preferred successor said by picking a Kipsigis— the second populous community in the county— for a running mate, he would have killed two birds with one stone.
However, he is seen as a protégé of Tunai who is seeking the governorship. In 2013, Governor Tunai picked Evalyn Aruasa from the Kipsigis community as his running mate and they both went ahead to win in the 2017 elections.
