Kimilili MP announces four months break from DP Ruto camp
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa yesterday gave the clearest indication that he might ditch Deputy President William Ruto’s camp.
The MP, who was elected on Jubilee Party ticket, announced that he had taken what he described as a four months “sabbatical leave” from Ruto’s faction to concentrate on uniting warring political groups withthe Luhya community.
Addressing the press in his Siuna rural home in Bungoma county, Barasa said during the break, he would try to unite all leaders from the Luhya community who have announced their intentions to vie for the presidency.
Barasa, who has been a vocal member of Ruto’s Tangatanga team, however, said if the hustler nation is not concerned with the welfare of his people, then he had no reason of being associated with it.
“If the hustler nation will not have interest of my Kimilili people at heart, then I will automatically quit because politics is about interests,’’ said Barasa.
His move comes after former Trade minister Mukhisa Kituyi who comes from his constituency announced that he is going to vie for the presidency.
Sources indicate that the MP fell out with Ruto in the aftermath of the Kabuchai by–election in which United Democratic Movement candidate Evans Kaikai lost to Ford Kenya’s Majimbo Kalasinga.
Barasa, who however clarified that he had not left hustler nation said he was going to push for the interests of Kimilili, Bungoma and Mulelmbe residents.
“We want also to find who is better placed to take interest of the said groups, if Tangatanga will have no interest then we have no business being there,’’ he said.
Barasa said the four months sabbatical leave he had taken will enable him also audit what he had archived as the MP.
“From today henceforth, I am going for a four months sabbatical leave, it doesn’t mean that I have left Tanga Tanga, during my off, I will engage various leaders in Luhyaland so that we speak in one voice,” he said.
