Tensions arose between Kericho Governor Erick Mutai and his deputy Fred Kirui during the county's Madaraka Day celebrations on Thursday, June 1. Kirui accused Governor Mutai of mistreatment, leading to a clash between the two.
Before inviting the governor to address the gathering, Kirui voiced his grievances, expressing feeling neglected and demanding respect in the execution of his duties as the deputy governor. He expressed dissatisfaction with being sidelined, despite being elected on the ticket of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
Kirui further highlighted the sacrifices he had made for the governor, including withdrawing his candidacy for the top position.
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"The governor is here and knows the agreement we signed. I dropped my bid to be his deputy, and as I have said, I have been using my money to fuel my cars.
"We should know that there are those who voted for me and those who voted for him. We should know that this is a coalition government. I respect the governor and I want to ask that you (governor) also respect me and all these issues will be sorted," he lamented.
Upon taking the stage, the governor addressed his deputy's earlier remarks, stating that they contained false claims.
While acknowledging the existence of differences between them, Mutai emphasized that his deputy actually enjoyed more privileges, including access to a greater number of county vehicles.
In light of the situation, the governor urged his deputy to approach him privately to address and resolve their differences rather than involving the public.
"You have two vehicles and an escort car. I only have one. We can increase the number to three and help your office with whatever you want," he said.
"We can double the fuel from 150 to 300 litres. I am saying that you must not bring issues to the public for discussion. It makes us look stupid," the governor responded.
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