President Uhuru Kenyatta has been told to respect the Kalenjin community and stop demeaning Deputy President William Ruto.
Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok on Thursday reminded the President that the community has been respectful to him and all other leaders regardless of their ethnicities and political affiliations and that he should reciprocate the gesture by respecting his deputy.
He said whatever the Jubilee administration has achieved in its two terms is because of Ruto’s immense contribution and the President should value that.
“We are what we are because of him and he [Ruto] must be respected. We respect everyone’s decision and we should be respected too,” Barchok said.
“We have stated clearly that we are standing behind DP Ruto and others who are running for the same seat be given a chance to vie in a fair contest because it is their democratic right,” he said.
He added, “Ruto contributed to what we have achieved as the Jubilee government. He has a right to stand on top of the vehicle and explain to Kenyans about those achievements. He was part and parcel of the planning process.”
The county chief was speaking at Koiwa trading centre in Konoin on Thursday during a meet-the-people tour.
He had earlier launched the Borenya Maisha na Barchok programme in Mogogosiek to empower the needy, persons with disabilities, women and youth. The governor distributed beehives, chairs and tents to the beneficiaries.
Barchok’s sentiment comes a few days after the President told Ruto that work is done in office, not in political rallies.
Uhuru further accused some politicians of continually faulting his administration over its performance.
In his reply, DP Ruto defended his track record in government, saying that he took part in each and every project that became a success in the Jubilee administration.
“I have been in government long enough to understand that policies and theoretical works are done in offices but implemented on the ground that sometimes entails doing so from the car tops,” Ruto responded.
He added, “The Jubilee government was a joint project between me and my friend President Uhuru Kenyatta”.
“You cannot deny me as deputy president the credit for many projects that we have achieved together. It is not going to happen, my friends. Anybody imagining that they can deny me credit is wasting their time.” BY THE STAR