Baringo Senator Gideon Moi has declined reports that he has been preventing some leaders from the region from accessing retired President Moi’s Kabarak home.
While speaking on Sunday at his Alphega home in Mogotio Baringo County when he hosted a number of Kanu delegation from Eldama Ravine, Gideon Moi rubbished the claims that he had been the one deciding who is to meet the retired President while locking out some of the leaders perceived to be his political rivals.
“I’m not a watchman. You cannot ambush former President Daniel Moi. Even President Uhuru makes arrangements. I also don’t just enter his place anyhow. There are protocols, just make arrangements,” he said.
Gideon was responding to claims wherein the past had been accused of blocking the Deputy President William Ruto from meeting with his retired father. In April this year, a delegation led by Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka was said to have failed to meet President Daniel Arap Moi at his Kabarak home to condole with him following the death of his son Jonathan Toroitich.
The leaders, who are allied to William Ruto’s Tanga-tanga side included Baringo governor Stanley Kiptis, Kakamega counterpart Wycliffe Oparanya and senator Susan Kihika (Nakuru).
This came barely some months after William Ruto was also denied access to meet Mzee Moi with the reason being that the retired President was meeting with his doctor.
Gideon Moi claimed that none of the leaders had booked an appointment with the retired President and denied access. He used the opportunity to welcome the former Cabinet Minister Musa Sirma into Kanu and immediately declare him the Eldama Ravine sub-county Kanu branch chairman.
On his part. Mr. Sirma denounced the famous 2006 Eldama Ravine declaration that saw the Kalenjin community rally behind William Ruto, now deputy president, as the community spokesperson.
Musa Sirma who was in 2006 a very influential leader from the region had led a delegation of more than 300 supporters and members of the Lembus Council of Elders to install William Ruto as the community’s spokesperson in an event that turned around William Ruto’s fortunes and politics in the region.
Sirma apologized to Kanu supporters in what he termed as a big mistake he made by installing William Ruto saying he did not know that the DP would later come to be against him and Gideon Moi in the future.
“I regret that pronouncement and apologise to the Kalenjin community for the declaration. I did not know that I was supporting a leader who could be against me with time,” Sirma said.
Gideon Moi welcome Sirma back saying that he was like a prodigal son who had come back home to work with his kinsmen. He said the party was supporting President Kenyatta’s big four agenda while at the same time quietly conducting party recruitment preparing themselves for 2022 general elections.