4 thoughts on “Ruto Made Luo Elder: 29th December”
Ruto loses grip of UDM
FRIDAY, 23 DECEMBER 2011 00:05 BY STAR REPORTER
Eldoret North MP William Ruto’s hopes of becoming the United Democratic Movement’s presidential candidate next year are fading fast as rebellion in the party leadership continues to grow.
The party’s top organ, National Executive Council (NEC), is increasingly alienating itself from Ruto and has — on two occasions in as many weeks — refused to set the date for the grassroots elections.
Ruto is pushing for the party to hold its grassroots election to ensure that individuals whom he has already identified take up key party positions. However, the NEC has been resisting these attempts and refused to set the date for elections accusing Ruto of attempting to impose party leaders.
On Wednesday, as the Eldoret North MP hosted UDM Nairobi delegates at Nyayo National Stadium, all but one of the NEC members — Majembe Majanja — did not attend the meeting.
At the same time, the NEC was holding a parallel meeting and discussed how they would foil Ruto’s plans to impose officials during elections scheduled to be held early next year.
The meeting held at the Gracia Hotel lasted for over six hours. Instead of setting the date for party elections, the NEC appointed a five-member committee chaired by deputy chairman Charfano Morkku to come up with modalities of going to the polls.
“The NEC has resolved to appoint a committee which will report back to it by end of January to come up with modalities of holding grassroots elections,” chairman Joseph Chirchir said.
However, a senior NEC member said the establishment of the committee was just a public relations exercise as the party had no intentions of holding elections until December 2013 when the five-year term of the current officials runs out. The current NEC was elected in December 2008.
“Again there is a case pending in court about elections of the party. These two factors are working against drawing any election timetable now,” the NEC member added.
Party chairman Joseph Chirchir, secretary general Martin Kamwaro, treasurer Yusuf Abdi, Morkku are among those who are opposed to Ruto’s plan to have his hand-picked individuals take over the party leadership. Vice chairman Millicent Nyaboke and Reverend Paul Cheboi have remained neutral over the matter.
In an attempt to distance themselves from Ruto, some of the NEC officials on Wednesday decided they would open a parallel party office at the former Red Card Centre in Upper Hill and abandon the one at Lavington which they claim has been hijacked by Ruto and his team.
Chirchir and Kamwaro denied the opening of another party headquarters was an indication of the growing rift between the party officials and Ruto. The two confirmed that the UDM was mulling over the possibility of opening another party office “as the party is growing.”
“We may need an office purely for secretariat support services, or offices for the party leader and his deputies or even the Pentagon of the party,” Chirchir said.Another meeting scheduled to be held on January 16 next year is expected to resolve these issues.
One of the top officials actively opposed to Ruto’s plan to impose leaders on the party yesterday said; “We are not pushing him aside. He wanted to displace the officials and come up with his own lineup yet he has no control of the NEC.”
UDM’s only MP Hellen Sambili downplayed suggestions that there was a growing rift between the party membership and Ruto. “The party is increasingly becoming popular and we are all committed to remaining united. We want to assure the country and our supporters that UDM is a committed and united force that is building itself towards next year’s election,” she said.
Eldoret North MP William Ruto has told the people of Nyanza to be patient as political dispensation in the country takes shape ahead of 2012.
Ruto said his personal differences with Raila should not ‘filter’ into the relationship between the Luo and Kalenjin.
“Some people think that we are sworn enemies, but politics is dynamic and things change depending on the political developments that unfold in respect to the people’s demands,” said Ruto.
He told crowds during his various stopovers in Kisumu town, Kondele, Mamboleo, Nyahera and Otonglo that he would support a Raila presidency if he won, but that did not mean he would ditch UDM.
Tumultous Welcome
“You all know my contributions to ODM was paramount and even up to now I am still wondering why the party leader overlooked my commitment to the party and decided to relieve me of my ministerial portfolio,’’ he claimed.
Ruto arrived in Kisumu to a tumultuous welcome by hundreds of youth, who were calm, elated and ecstatic as he addressed them.
Earlier, there were fears that the youths would heckle and jeer him.
The crowd bombarded the former minister with questions and pleas during his many stopovers. The people pleaded with him to come back and work with Raila. Shouts of Rudi Nyumbani! Wewe ni wetu! (Rejoin ODM! You are one of us!) rent the air all the way.
This prompted Ruto, who was flanked by MPs Aden Duale and Elija Langat to hint at a possible coalition with the PM’s ODM party, on whose ticket he rode into Parliament and has since not officially defected from.
“I want to tell you that even UDM is a small house within ODM. We are only trying to advance political democracy in parties. This is why my association with UDM should not be misconstrued for political dissent, No…,’’ he said.
Ruto’s visit comes barely a week after the PM in an interview with The Standard said he was not opposed to Ruto and that he was free to remain in the party if he so wished.
Strong Signals
Raila appeared to send strong political signals that the two parties were headed for a political truce and it was only a matter of time before they joined hands.
Ruto made it clear that he was not opposed to Raila’s presidency, earning accolades as he addressed a crowd in ODM strongholds in Kisumu where presidential candidate Raphael Tuju met hostile reception.
The youth asked Ruto to forge close working relationship with the Premier if he wished to become president in future. Several youth led by Kondele Youth Chairman Isaac Oyange asked Ruto to work with Raila. But, the legislator said they want competitive politics laced with viable ideas and not empty rhetoric.
He said poverty was widespread because of reduced agricultural productivity. He told the State to lower the cost of farm inputs if it was keen on ending poverty.
Elders led by Thomas Achando later crowned him as a Luo Elder at a ceremony in Kajulu village.
Duale said they would reconsider rejoining ODM if the party recognised Ruto’s strength. His shouts of harambee were met with ODM tosha from the crowd to his amusement. The same happened to Ruto.
Ruto knows ODM ndio Maisha Bora. Why did he was a lot of his breath insulting Raila? His own people are now rejecting him in UDM. Will he blame Raila for this too?
Ruto loses grip of UDM
FRIDAY, 23 DECEMBER 2011 00:05 BY STAR REPORTER
Eldoret North MP William Ruto’s hopes of becoming the United Democratic Movement’s presidential candidate next year are fading fast as rebellion in the party leadership continues to grow.
The party’s top organ, National Executive Council (NEC), is increasingly alienating itself from Ruto and has — on two occasions in as many weeks — refused to set the date for the grassroots elections.
Ruto is pushing for the party to hold its grassroots election to ensure that individuals whom he has already identified take up key party positions. However, the NEC has been resisting these attempts and refused to set the date for elections accusing Ruto of attempting to impose party leaders.
On Wednesday, as the Eldoret North MP hosted UDM Nairobi delegates at Nyayo National Stadium, all but one of the NEC members — Majembe Majanja — did not attend the meeting.
At the same time, the NEC was holding a parallel meeting and discussed how they would foil Ruto’s plans to impose officials during elections scheduled to be held early next year.
The meeting held at the Gracia Hotel lasted for over six hours. Instead of setting the date for party elections, the NEC appointed a five-member committee chaired by deputy chairman Charfano Morkku to come up with modalities of going to the polls.
“The NEC has resolved to appoint a committee which will report back to it by end of January to come up with modalities of holding grassroots elections,” chairman Joseph Chirchir said.
However, a senior NEC member said the establishment of the committee was just a public relations exercise as the party had no intentions of holding elections until December 2013 when the five-year term of the current officials runs out. The current NEC was elected in December 2008.
“Again there is a case pending in court about elections of the party. These two factors are working against drawing any election timetable now,” the NEC member added.
Party chairman Joseph Chirchir, secretary general Martin Kamwaro, treasurer Yusuf Abdi, Morkku are among those who are opposed to Ruto’s plan to have his hand-picked individuals take over the party leadership. Vice chairman Millicent Nyaboke and Reverend Paul Cheboi have remained neutral over the matter.
In an attempt to distance themselves from Ruto, some of the NEC officials on Wednesday decided they would open a parallel party office at the former Red Card Centre in Upper Hill and abandon the one at Lavington which they claim has been hijacked by Ruto and his team.
Chirchir and Kamwaro denied the opening of another party headquarters was an indication of the growing rift between the party officials and Ruto. The two confirmed that the UDM was mulling over the possibility of opening another party office “as the party is growing.”
“We may need an office purely for secretariat support services, or offices for the party leader and his deputies or even the Pentagon of the party,” Chirchir said.Another meeting scheduled to be held on January 16 next year is expected to resolve these issues.
One of the top officials actively opposed to Ruto’s plan to impose leaders on the party yesterday said; “We are not pushing him aside. He wanted to displace the officials and come up with his own lineup yet he has no control of the NEC.”
UDM’s only MP Hellen Sambili downplayed suggestions that there was a growing rift between the party membership and Ruto. “The party is increasingly becoming popular and we are all committed to remaining united. We want to assure the country and our supporters that UDM is a committed and united force that is building itself towards next year’s election,” she said.
Ruto hints at possible coalition with Raila’s ODM
By Kepher Otieno
Eldoret North MP William Ruto has told the people of Nyanza to be patient as political dispensation in the country takes shape ahead of 2012.
Ruto said his personal differences with Raila should not ‘filter’ into the relationship between the Luo and Kalenjin.
“Some people think that we are sworn enemies, but politics is dynamic and things change depending on the political developments that unfold in respect to the people’s demands,” said Ruto.
He told crowds during his various stopovers in Kisumu town, Kondele, Mamboleo, Nyahera and Otonglo that he would support a Raila presidency if he won, but that did not mean he would ditch UDM.
Tumultous Welcome
“You all know my contributions to ODM was paramount and even up to now I am still wondering why the party leader overlooked my commitment to the party and decided to relieve me of my ministerial portfolio,’’ he claimed.
Ruto arrived in Kisumu to a tumultuous welcome by hundreds of youth, who were calm, elated and ecstatic as he addressed them.
Earlier, there were fears that the youths would heckle and jeer him.
The crowd bombarded the former minister with questions and pleas during his many stopovers. The people pleaded with him to come back and work with Raila. Shouts of Rudi Nyumbani! Wewe ni wetu! (Rejoin ODM! You are one of us!) rent the air all the way.
This prompted Ruto, who was flanked by MPs Aden Duale and Elija Langat to hint at a possible coalition with the PM’s ODM party, on whose ticket he rode into Parliament and has since not officially defected from.
“I want to tell you that even UDM is a small house within ODM. We are only trying to advance political democracy in parties. This is why my association with UDM should not be misconstrued for political dissent, No…,’’ he said.
Ruto’s visit comes barely a week after the PM in an interview with The Standard said he was not opposed to Ruto and that he was free to remain in the party if he so wished.
Strong Signals
Raila appeared to send strong political signals that the two parties were headed for a political truce and it was only a matter of time before they joined hands.
Ruto made it clear that he was not opposed to Raila’s presidency, earning accolades as he addressed a crowd in ODM strongholds in Kisumu where presidential candidate Raphael Tuju met hostile reception.
The youth asked Ruto to forge close working relationship with the Premier if he wished to become president in future. Several youth led by Kondele Youth Chairman Isaac Oyange asked Ruto to work with Raila. But, the legislator said they want competitive politics laced with viable ideas and not empty rhetoric.
He said poverty was widespread because of reduced agricultural productivity. He told the State to lower the cost of farm inputs if it was keen on ending poverty.
Elders led by Thomas Achando later crowned him as a Luo Elder at a ceremony in Kajulu village.
Duale said they would reconsider rejoining ODM if the party recognised Ruto’s strength. His shouts of harambee were met with ODM tosha from the crowd to his amusement. The same happened to Ruto.
Ruto knows ODM ndio Maisha Bora. Why did he was a lot of his breath insulting Raila? His own people are now rejecting him in UDM. Will he blame Raila for this too?