Many know him as Farouk, his full names are Farouk Teigut Kibet. He is the man that calls the shots around the DP over the past seven years, determining the fate of those seeking to get access to the Deputy President, William Ruto, at his Harambee House Annex office, in Karen and elsewhere.
But now the Kalenjin are up in arms, warning that the DP will lose his home turf support base courtesy of the said man.
Led by prominent Uasin Gishu businessman Zedekiah Bundotich Kiprop, they have accused his Ruto’s aides of demanding bribes from people who want to see him.
Buzeki, took aim at Ruto, telling him to change his aides if he wants to win the 2022 presidential contest.
While addressing a group of supporters at his home in Ainabkoi, Uasin Gishu County, on Sunday, Mr Kiprop specifically identified Farouk whom he branded a “tax collector”, saying they had developed the habit of asking for money from desperate people who wanted to meet Dr Ruto.
The sentiments became public on Tuesday in a video posted on social media, as journalists were barred from the Sunday meeting at his home.
Mr Kiprop vied for the governorship post in the 2017 polls but lost to Jackson Mandago. Mr Mandago garnered 193,606 votes against Mr Kiprop’s 148,121.
On Sunday, he announced that he had formally ditched Jubilee for Chama Cha Mashinani led by former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto.
In the two-minute video, in which he spoke in Kalenjin, the businessman sensationally claimed that the aide was tarnishing the DP’s office by demanding Sh50,000 from those seeking to see him.
“These are the people who have held the DP’s office hostage. When someone, including old women, want to see the DP he demands Sh50,000. Where do you expect a poor mother to get Sh50,000? This man is a tax collector,” said an agitated Mr Kiprop.
He said the aides are muddying Dr Ruto’s name and those of fellow Kalenjins. “The DP’s office has been spoilt by these people to the extent that every Kalenjin walking in Nairobi streets is seen as a con man because of some two or three people spoiling the community’s name.
“This stupidity must stop. This time we are going to speak the truth without hiding anything from anyone,” he added.
Since he abandoned Dr Ruto’s camp, Mr Kiprop has addressed a number of meetings in Uasin Gishu where he has accused Dr Ruto’s allies of pushing him out of the ruling party.