June 22, 2013 - 00:00 -- BY STAR TEAM
The Office of Deputy President William Ruto is grappling
with growing discontent from the South Rift region as well as wrangles among
its staff.
An official in the office dismissed the matters as
"minor teething problems related to settling in to a new office."
Members of the South Rift Valley, a huge support base for
Ruto, feel that they lack accessibility of the Deputy President and positions
in government.
"Kericho senator Charles Keter seems to be the only
member of the Kipsigis community able to reach the Deputy President. Even
elected MPs have been chased from the office, being told that they are leaving
their work to go chasing after Ruto for favours," claimed a politician.
He claimed that there is no senior employee from South Rift
in the office making it harder for them to get appointments.
A political activist alleged that Ruto's chief of staff
Maryanne Keitany, from Keiyo, and his two personal assistants Reuben Maiyo and
Farouk Kibet, both from Ruto's Nandi sub-tribe, have started blocking visitors
to the office.
A Kisumu activist, recognised as a Ruto loyalist, reportedly
got into fisticuffs with Kibet last Thursday. George Ayugi, popularly known as
Mbuta, reportedly confronted Kibet in the corridor after he was prevented from
seeing the Deputy President. The two were separated by security officers and
Ayugi thrown out.
A witness blamed the activist for the acrimony.
"The two did not fight. Ayugi was told he could not see
the boss and he started shouting. We came out of our offices because we heard
shouting. Mbuta held Kibet by the collar but Kibet did not fight back," he
said.
Both Kibet and Ayugi have denied that the incident took
place."I have not fought anybody," said Ayugi.Kibet insisted that all
was well in the DP's office."Who told you that? There is no trouble
here," said Kibet.An official in the Office of the Deputy President denied
that it was difficult to access Ruto.
"I see him with so many people everyday. But there are
people who want to be in this office from morning to evening. Some even want to
park their cars in the parking within the compound. They should seek
appointments because he gives many appointments every day," he said.
He dismissed suggestion that Ruto was not doing enough for
South Rift or URP."The Deputy President is the Deputy President for the
whole country, not for URP or South Rift. He said in Kuria recently that he
will serve all Kenyans and will not discriminate. The time for party politics
is now over," he said.
The Deputy President has now spoken to all his aides to
define their responsibilities.Kibet was issued with a formal appointment letter
to make him Personal Assistant to the Deputy President.
"The boss was very angry that there were people
fighting each other over him. He called each one of them and told them what he
expects of them and their new roles," said an insider.
The infighting has reportedly sucked in Keitany and Maiyo.
"Both of them think they are equal so the boss has once
again been forced to intervene and clarify their roles and responsibilities.
Maiyo had hoped that he would be given the job of Chief of Staff, especially
because he has been working for the boss for many years, but was surprised when
Keitany was brought in," said another source in the DP's office.
Keitany was the IT manager at Kenya Railways before joining
the Ruto campaign secretariat before the March 4 election. She has been attending most government meetings chaired
by Ruto and recently accompanied Ruto to Japan for an official trip.
As the Chief of Staff, Keitany is responsible for staff
recruitment and deployment at the Deputy President’s office. Maiyo is
responsible for Ruto’s diary as well as other duties.
There has also been simmering tension between Ruto's new
staff and those who were formerly working for Prime Minister Raila Odinga. They
have been competing on who should access the Deputy President.
Yesterday a senior staff member in Ruto's office told the
Star that Ruto has warned any staff engaging in petty politics that they will
be sacked.
“Mheshimiwa has raised a yellow card warning us of dire
consequences for anyone one found engaging in meaningless competitions and
those who see everything in the prism of political parties,”he said.
On Wednesday, the Leader of Government Business Adan Duale
defended Ruto against claims that he was targeting Raila's people for removal.
South Rift supporters say that while President Uhuru
Kenyatta has been to Central Province twice to thank the electorate, Ruto has
only been to two funerals in South Rift.
A former MP from Kericho said the county had also not
received any appointments.
"Because the Attorney General comes from the
President's community, we expected that, in the interest of sharing power, the
Solicitor General would come from Kalenjin, and specifically Kericho because
our county has not got anything. Instead, as the President is rewarding his
supporters, the Deputy President is busy with trips to West Africa and Japan.
Now the Solicitor General is also likely to go to Central, that already has the
AG and the Deputy Solicitor General," he complained.
This week President Kenyatta nominated his long-time aide
Njee Muturi for Solicitor General. He is expected to be vetted by Parliament by
Wednesday next week.
"We in URP are also not happy over the fact that every
Kalenjin Cabinet Secretary is given a Kikuyu Principal Secretary, who is a
professional in the field to mark him. It is as if they want to have
figureheads for Cabinet Secretary while the ministry is run by the Principal
secretaries," said the former MP. Keter has absolved himself from blame.
Keter said he pushed unsuccessfully for the Solicitor
General position for South Rift which showed he did not have privileged access
to Ruto
RUTO FACES REBELLION IN OFFICE
The
Office of Deputy President William Ruto is grappling with growing
discontent from the South Rift region as well as wrangles among its
staff.
An official in the office dismissed the matters as "minor teething problems related to settling in to a new office."
Members of the South Rift Valley, a huge support base for Ruto, feel that they lack accessibility of the Deputy President and positions in government.
"Kericho senator Charles Keter seems to be the only member of the Kipsigis community able to reach the Deputy President. Even elected MPs have been chased from the office, being told that they are leaving their work to go chasing after Ruto for favours," claimed a politician.
He claimed that there is no senior employee from South Rift in the office making it harder for them to get appointments.
A political activist alleged that Ruto's chief of staff Maryanne Keitany, from Keiyo, and his two personal assistants Reuben Maiyo and Farouk Kibet, both from Ruto's Nandi sub-tribe, have started blocking visitors to the office.
A Kisumu activist, recognised as a Ruto loyalist, reportedly got into fisticuffs with Kibet last Thursday. George Ayugi, popularly known as Mbuta, reportedly confronted Kibet in the corridor after he was prevented from seeing the Deputy President. The two were separated by security officers and Ayugi thrown out.
A witness blamed the activist for the acrimony.
"The two did not fight. Ayugi was told he could not see the boss and he started shouting. We came out of our offices because we heard shouting. Mbuta held Kibet by the collar but Kibet did not fight back," he said.
Both Kibet and Ayugi have denied that the incident took place."I have not fought anybody," said Ayugi.Kibet insisted that all was well in the DP's office."Who told you that? There is no trouble here," said Kibet.An official in the Office of the Deputy President denied that it was difficult to access Ruto.
"I see him with so many people everyday. But there are people who want to be in this office from morning to evening. Some even want to park their cars in the parking within the compound. They should seek appointments because he gives many appointments every day," he said.
He dismissed suggestion that Ruto was not doing enough for South Rift or URP."The Deputy President is the Deputy President for the whole country, not for URP or South Rift. He said in Kuria recently that he will serve all Kenyans and will not discriminate. The time for party politics is now over," he said.
The Deputy President has now spoken to all his aides to define their responsibilities.Kibet was issued with a formal appointment letter to make him Personal Assistant to the Deputy President.
"The boss was very angry that there were people fighting each other over him. He called each one of them and told them what he expects of them and their new roles," said an insider.
The infighting has reportedly sucked in Keitany and Maiyo.
"Both of them think they are equal so the boss has once again been forced to intervene and clarify their roles and responsibilities. Maiyo had hoped that he would be given the job of Chief of Staff, especially because he has been working for the boss for many years, but was surprised when Keitany was brought in," said another source in the DP's office.
Keitany was the IT manager at Kenya Railways before joining the Ruto
campaign secretariat before the March 4 election. She has been
attending most government meetings chaired by Ruto and recently
accompanied Ruto to Japan for an official trip.
Yesterday a senior staff member in Ruto's office told the Star that Ruto has warned any staff engaging in petty politics that they will be sacked.
“Mheshimiwa has raised a yellow card warning us of dire consequences for anyone one found engaging in meaningless competitions and those who see everything in the prism of political parties,”he said.
On Wednesday, the Leader of Government Business Adan Duale defended Ruto against claims that he was targeting Raila's people for removal.
South Rift supporters say that while President Uhuru Kenyatta has been to Central Province twice to thank the electorate, Ruto has only been to two funerals in South Rift.
A former MP from Kericho said the county had also not received any appointments.
"Because the Attorney General comes from the President's community, we expected that, in the interest of sharing power, the Solicitor General would come from Kalenjin, and specifically Kericho because our county has not got anything. Instead, as the President is rewarding his supporters, the Deputy President is busy with trips to West Africa and Japan. Now the Solicitor General is also likely to go to Central, that already has the AG and the Deputy Solicitor General," he complained.
This week President Kenyatta nominated his long-time aide Njee Muturi for Solicitor General. He is expected to be vetted by Parliament by Wednesday next week.
"We in URP are also not happy over the fact that every Kalenjin Cabinet Secretary is given a Kikuyu Principal Secretary, who is a professional in the field to mark him. It is as if they want to have figureheads for Cabinet Secretary while the ministry is run by the Principal secretaries," said the former MP.
Keter has absolved himself from blame.
Keter said he pushed unsuccessfully for the Solicitor General position for South Rift which showed he did not have privileged access to Ruto
An official in the office dismissed the matters as "minor teething problems related to settling in to a new office."
Members of the South Rift Valley, a huge support base for Ruto, feel that they lack accessibility of the Deputy President and positions in government.
"Kericho senator Charles Keter seems to be the only member of the Kipsigis community able to reach the Deputy President. Even elected MPs have been chased from the office, being told that they are leaving their work to go chasing after Ruto for favours," claimed a politician.
He claimed that there is no senior employee from South Rift in the office making it harder for them to get appointments.
A political activist alleged that Ruto's chief of staff Maryanne Keitany, from Keiyo, and his two personal assistants Reuben Maiyo and Farouk Kibet, both from Ruto's Nandi sub-tribe, have started blocking visitors to the office.
A Kisumu activist, recognised as a Ruto loyalist, reportedly got into fisticuffs with Kibet last Thursday. George Ayugi, popularly known as Mbuta, reportedly confronted Kibet in the corridor after he was prevented from seeing the Deputy President. The two were separated by security officers and Ayugi thrown out.
A witness blamed the activist for the acrimony.
"The two did not fight. Ayugi was told he could not see the boss and he started shouting. We came out of our offices because we heard shouting. Mbuta held Kibet by the collar but Kibet did not fight back," he said.
Both Kibet and Ayugi have denied that the incident took place."I have not fought anybody," said Ayugi.Kibet insisted that all was well in the DP's office."Who told you that? There is no trouble here," said Kibet.An official in the Office of the Deputy President denied that it was difficult to access Ruto.
"I see him with so many people everyday. But there are people who want to be in this office from morning to evening. Some even want to park their cars in the parking within the compound. They should seek appointments because he gives many appointments every day," he said.
He dismissed suggestion that Ruto was not doing enough for South Rift or URP."The Deputy President is the Deputy President for the whole country, not for URP or South Rift. He said in Kuria recently that he will serve all Kenyans and will not discriminate. The time for party politics is now over," he said.
The Deputy President has now spoken to all his aides to define their responsibilities.Kibet was issued with a formal appointment letter to make him Personal Assistant to the Deputy President.
"The boss was very angry that there were people fighting each other over him. He called each one of them and told them what he expects of them and their new roles," said an insider.
The infighting has reportedly sucked in Keitany and Maiyo.
"Both of them think they are equal so the boss has once again been forced to intervene and clarify their roles and responsibilities. Maiyo had hoped that he would be given the job of Chief of Staff, especially because he has been working for the boss for many years, but was surprised when Keitany was brought in," said another source in the DP's office.
As the Chief of Staff, Keitany is responsible for staff recruitment
and deployment at the Deputy President’s office. Maiyo is responsible
for Ruto’s diary as well as other duties.
There has also been simmering tension between Ruto's new staff and
those who were formerly working for Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
They have been competing on who should access the Deputy President.Yesterday a senior staff member in Ruto's office told the Star that Ruto has warned any staff engaging in petty politics that they will be sacked.
“Mheshimiwa has raised a yellow card warning us of dire consequences for anyone one found engaging in meaningless competitions and those who see everything in the prism of political parties,”he said.
On Wednesday, the Leader of Government Business Adan Duale defended Ruto against claims that he was targeting Raila's people for removal.
South Rift supporters say that while President Uhuru Kenyatta has been to Central Province twice to thank the electorate, Ruto has only been to two funerals in South Rift.
A former MP from Kericho said the county had also not received any appointments.
"Because the Attorney General comes from the President's community, we expected that, in the interest of sharing power, the Solicitor General would come from Kalenjin, and specifically Kericho because our county has not got anything. Instead, as the President is rewarding his supporters, the Deputy President is busy with trips to West Africa and Japan. Now the Solicitor General is also likely to go to Central, that already has the AG and the Deputy Solicitor General," he complained.
This week President Kenyatta nominated his long-time aide Njee Muturi for Solicitor General. He is expected to be vetted by Parliament by Wednesday next week.
"We in URP are also not happy over the fact that every Kalenjin Cabinet Secretary is given a Kikuyu Principal Secretary, who is a professional in the field to mark him. It is as if they want to have figureheads for Cabinet Secretary while the ministry is run by the Principal secretaries," said the former MP.
Keter has absolved himself from blame.
Keter said he pushed unsuccessfully for the Solicitor General position for South Rift which showed he did not have privileged access to Ruto
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