Mau dispute, maize fiasco to shape Rift Valley politics come 2022

Rift Valley leaders’ stand on maize production and the Mau Forest evictions is likely to shape the region’s 2022 politics, although distinct groups focusing on the different areas have emerged.

First is the group led by governors Paul Chepkwony (Kericho) and Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu), which is pushing for Mau Forest resettlement.

Meanwhile, the other group, led by Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny, is campaigning for better maize prices.

Last month, Governor Mandago and MPs Vincent Tuwei (Mosop) and Daniel Rono (Keiyo South) said leaders from the region should speak with one voice to ensure that the region not sidelined from government.

They said that they were reaching out to all Jubilee leaders from the region to chart one political course ahead of the 2022 general election.

“We are reaching out to all Rift Valley leaders so that we reduce the political noise. We want to engage all the leaders so that we chart one political course as leaders from this region,” Mr Mandago during a church fundraiser in Mosop Constituency.

PRICE NEGOTIATION

Mr Tuwei also observed that the leaders from the region needed to hold a meeting to scrutinise the constitutional review initiatives to come up with a common political stand.

“We have the Building Bridges Initiative, Punguza Mizigo, and the recent Ugatuzi initiative spearheaded by the Council of Governors. We want to talk so that we sort out those issues since we might not need a referendum,” said the legislator.

But on Thursday, MPs Alfred Keter (Nandi Hills), Mr Kutuny (Cherangany), Silas Tiren (Moiben), James Murgor (Keiyo North) appeared to defy the overtures after they met the Strategic Food Reserve (SFR) board led by chairman Noah Wekesa and Agriculture ministry officials led by Principal Secretary Hamadi Boga to discuss maize prices.

“During the meeting, we petitioned the Ministry of Agriculture and SFR to consider reviewing the price of maize so as to enable farmers to reap from their investment,” Mr Kutuny said.

CRISIS

He added that they were optimistic that the board would announce better prices for this season's crop compared with last year's.

“I want to appeal to maize farmers across the country to hold onto their stock and stop selling their maize to middlemen and brokers, who are out to exploit them by buying their produce at throwaway prices,” Mr Kutuny said on Thursday.

But that same day leaders allied to Deputy President William Ruto, including Prof Chepkwony (Kericho), Mr Mandago (Uasin Gishu), Governor Stanley Kiptis (Baringo), Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen and Kericho Senator Haroun Cheruiyot, said that the government is seeking to create a humanitarian crisis with the Mau Forest evictions.

The apparent division between the region’s leaders has elicited mixed reactions among the people in Rift Valley, with many taking to social media to express their views.

“Leaders from the Rift Valley are talking about the Mau issue and you are now diverting attention over the maize prices,” wrote Samuel Chebush, a resident of Uasin Gishu County.

Meanwhile, others appeared to back the Kutuny-led group over their stand on maize prices.

“This is what we want; you to fight on behalf of Cherangany and cereals farmers. This is what we will use as a basis to elect leaders in 2022. We will elect only those who have been at the forefront in fighting for the people’s welfare,” Joseph Biwott, another Uasin Gishu resident, wrote.