The embattled Uasin Gishu businessman and former gubernatorial aspirant Bundotich Zedekiah alias Buzeki could be warming up for a gubernatorial post in his native county of Elgeyo Marakwet.
Buzeki who dumped Deputy President Willia Ruto a month ago joined Isaac Ruto’s Chama Cha Mashinani party in a move that could change the political landscape of the North Rift regions.
A few days ago, some Kalenjin elders and youths welcomed the decision by businessman and Eldoret politician Bundotich Kiprop alias Buzeki to join Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM). In a separate event, Elders drawn from the Keiyo community which is the largest Kalenjin sub-tribe in Elgeyo Marakwet county endorsed Buzeki as their spokesperson and leader on Sunday this week.
Led by Keiyo elders chairman Yusuf Keitany, they said they will campaign for him to ensure he clinches the gubernatorial seat come 2022.
“As Keiyo elders, we support the move by Buzeki to join Chama Cha Mashinani party and that we give him our 100 percent support. Anywhere he goes, we will follow him to accomplish his political dreams,” said Keitany.
The choosing of Kaptagat which bordered Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet counties as an endorsement area left many tongues wagging on whether the businessman was planning to cross over to EMC.
“We have also crowned Buzeki to take over the mantle of leading the community which fell vacant following the demise of the former KANU regime powerful minister Nicholas Biwott who was a Keiyo elder. He will now be our spokesman,” added Keitany.
His move to resign from Ruto’s camp was followed suit by Elgeyo Marakwet governor Alex Tolgos some few days later with Tolgos allegedly defecting to Gideon Moi’s KANU party.
These two coincidences in defections left questions on whether the current governor was plotting to support Buzeki’s bid to succeed him in 2022. Buzeki, as observed by Ruto’s allies and Uasin Gishu residents committed “political suicide” by quitting Jubilee yet he knows that his chances of getting elected in the county largely lies on his association with William Ruto’s party.
Despite this, Buzeki has maintained that he is still in the race to succeed Jackson Mandago as the next Uasin Gishu’s governor. He applauded the elder’s move to endorse him and promised not to let them down in his bid for Uasin Gishu governorship.