Lembus elders tell Ruto to respect Uhuru
Lembus council of elders in Baringo has called upon Deputy President William Ruto to respect his boss and shun public utterances that can polarize the country to another violence.
This comes in the wake where for the last two days there has been an intensified clash between president Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy blaming each other for the mistakes made in the joint jubilee government that came to power in 2013.
Joseph Leboo the chairman of the council noted this at Farmers Trading Centre (FTC) Eldama Ravine on Monday while coronating the first governor of Baringo County Benjamin Cheboi to take back the mantle of governorship owing to his previous track record.
“Kindly shun away from public utterances and the strings of political attacks because they are not good for the development of our country,” He pleaded.
Leboo noted that the sustained political differences are unhealthy for the social-economic and political well-being of the country at large adding that the public utterances are not good for the country as they have started polarizing the country ahead of the general elections.
The chairman further warned the President and his deputy against washing their dirty linen in public noting that the country would not want to experience another political violence that in the past led to massive loss of lives and destruction of property.
“I urge the President and his deputy to shun these unhealthy political vices as they could erupt unwanted fights, their rifts also have the capacity if not manned to destroy all the economic strides that we have made as a country after the 2007 postelection violence,” Leboo urged.
He however accused the media of escalating the division thereby calling all media houses to be vigilant while covering sensitive content in this electioneering period and be the first to spread peace across the country.
He regretted that if the two leaders could not iron out their differences and stop publicizing their political rifts, the country was likely to experience election violence like in the past.
While crowning Cheboi leadership mantle in his bid to clinch the seat, the chairman urged the county people to come out in masses and vote for him following his previous track record.
Mr Leboo noted that culture is paramount in Kalenjin and that it has been in existence ever since and was done to those expected to reign in power in a particular community even including Chiefs.
“The two mantles we have handed over today to Cheboi, as it has been Kalenjin culture and we have embraced it today, is that of leadership and is meant to serve as a sign of peace and as a shade covering for the people of the county in good times and as an umbrella to the same people during stormy days, we wish him the very best as he gets to power,” Leboo said.
He further explained that the leadership mantle is not handed to anyone but is given to someone who embraces the culture and is ready to unite a community he added also that it is a sign of peace and togetherness.
Cheboi on his part noted with thanksgiving that it was a great honour to be crowned the kingpin among other gubernatorial aspirants in the county promising to deliver the very best once he gets to reign in power come the next regime.
“I appreciate every stakeholder that has made this coronation a success, I am humbled that the elders chose me among my counterparts and I promise to deliver the very best to this county as I have held it dearly at heart,” Cheboi said.
