West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin has vowed to eliminate KANU party in West Pokot county during the 2017 general elections. Speaking during a campaign for Jubilee party in Tapach, the Governor said he ditched the party because of dictatorship tendencies and frustrations from the party leaders.
He said they have started grassroots campaigns for the new party. “We want our people to be part of the government, KANU is not pointing us to any bright future ahead,” he said.
Kachapin accused the KANU officials of sidelining other leaders saying the party has turned into a small tribal party that can not represent community interests at the national level .
Kachapin who recently joined the new Jubilee party said he is going to mobilize the community to support the Jubilee party in the coming elections. Kachapin who is the only Governor elected under KANU party said the party cannot unite the Pokot community with the rest of Kenya.
The County boss urged area residents to join the new party citing that many leaders from the entire North Rift have joined the party, which has a national face.
Kachapin said the Pokot community has never benefited from the KANU leadership since independence and accused those imposing the party choice on the residents of being ignorant of the County’s history. He accused area senator John Lonyangapuo of forcing the community to join the independence party for his personal gain.
He said the County leadership at large has endorsed the newly formed party to ensure the community works with the winning team.
Political supremacy in West Pokot County has taken shape with the battle between KANU and Jubilee party taking centre stage in the region’s political scope. The KANU team is being led by area Senator John Lonyangapuo, while the Jubilee party team is being spearheaded by Governor Simon Kachapin.