A section of leaders from West Pokot who recently defected from KANU and joined the newly formed Jubilee party have vowed not to resign from their positions. This comes after KANU bigwigs led by West Pokot Senator John Lonyangapuo wanted West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin and Kapenguria member of parliament Samuel Moroto to resign after decamping from KANU to join Jubilee.
Lonyangapuo had said the two should resign and pave way for a by-election according to the Political Parties Act. But West Pokot governor Simon Kachapin and Kapenguria MP Samuel Moroto have termed the KANU loyalists enemies of democracy and indicated that they are being used to divide the Pokot community with their own interests in mind.
They said the former ruling party has problems that’s why many people have decamped from it. The leaders said the party had the chance to lead the country for many years but did not do what Jubilee has done in just a few years .
The leaders said KANU is dead and that their people can’t go back to a party that oppressed and marginalized the county, which is now receiving the benefits of the current ruling party.
Kachapin told off the area senator John Lonyangapuo and KANU Chairman Gideon Moi for cheating Pokots that they can carry out development projects in the area without the government’s help. “Lonyangapuo should come and face me in the contest. KANU has no moral authority to rule. We need respect, and it is bad manners to say the Deputy President William Ruto should not come here,” he said.
He called for respect among elected leaders citing that the KANU leaders are inciting locals against the government. “Even Ford Kenya and ODM are in CORD are other parties and what’s is the difference with us joining Jubilee .The Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale was elected on UDF and now he is in Ford Kenya. Isaac Ruto is in CMM from URP,” said Kachapin.
Speaking at Kongelai in Kapenguria constituency, the leaders said that the county is a stronghold for the Jubilee party and they are behind the DP with the rest of Rift Valley adding the politics KANU is playing is past its time.
Governor Kachapin said they left KANU for Jubilee because of ideologies that are good for Kenya and democracy. “We should have a revolution and development in political parties. We only need two or three strong parties with ideologies. We don’t want parties for individuals,” he said.
Kachapin warned Bomet governor Isaac Ruto against overstepping his mandate and campaigning for his opponents in West Pokot, adding that he should respect fellow governors noting he is no special case compared to other governors in Kenya.
“He should not see himself as more vital than other governors. Even when I go to Bomet, I should respect him. Why should leaders come here to incite locals against their leaders?” asked Kachapin.
Kachapin accused the KANU officials of sidelining other leaders saying the party has turned into a small tribal party that can’t represent community interests at the national level,” said Kachapin.
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.
Kapenguria legislator Samuel Moroto termed the area senator as a ‘young boy’ when it comes to politics and he should join KANU alone, without forcing other people. Moroto cited that the Jubilee government has overseen many development activities in County. “We have benefited a lot from the Government,” Moroto said.