Rift as Murkomen, Cherargei face off over development projects
A rift has emerged among President William Ruto’s allies over the implementation of key projects in the Rift Valley.
Nandi County Woman Representative Cynthia Muge and area Senator Samson Cherargei recently demanded that Cabinet Secretaries implement projects in the region.
Mr Cheragei, a second-term Senator elected on the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket, accused Transport and Roads Cabinet Secretary Mr Kipchumba Murkomen of failing to offer local contractors job opportunities on local road projects.
“Mr Murkomen, we appreciate you for the ministry’s plans to undertake a road project in Mosoriot but we hear that his friends want him to bring contractors from other regions. We want you to support our local contractors to undertake these projects,” said the Cherargei, at a burial in Chesumei, Nandi County on October 28, 2023.
In a rejoinder, CS Murkomen appeared to hit back at Muge over her comments, maintaining he was determined to deliver road projects across the country.
“I want to inform Cherargei that we will be taking the wrong direction if we award all contracts to people from this region. We also have people from this region who are undertaking road projects in different regions in the country,” said the CS.
In a viral audio, Ms Muge stated that they will not accept the region being discriminated against even as he took to task transport CS Mr Kipchumba Murkomen over how he is implementing projects.
Without naming the road projects, she said that most of the roads in the county were in bad condition, a move she described as ‘discrimination’.
“As a community, we will not sit back and watch when those tasked to deliver on projects fail. The President gave them jobs to deliver on projects and we will play the oversight role,” stated the first-term legislator during a radio interview.
However, the CS accused the first-term MP from the region of failing to understand the processes involved in awarding contracts for development projects.
This comes amid the perception that President Ruto had prioritised the implementation of key developmental projects in opposition zones such as the Nyanza region.
Recently on his tour in the Nyanza region, the Head of state launched the MV-Uhuru in Kisumu as well as three key road projects linking Siaya, Homa Bay, and Kisumu counties in a move seen as a tactic to lure the region ahead of the 2027 presidential elections. President Ruto discussed politics during his visit to the region and challenged Azimio leader to vote for him in the forthcoming polls.
The Head of State further suggested he would easily defeat Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka in any presidential election.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has consistently equated President William Ruto’s government to that of a shareholding company, saying regions that voted in the government should be prioritised during government appointments and development projects.
President Ruto has, however, rubbished that stance.
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