Kericho governor seeks to reconcile with deputy ahead of 2027

By  Vitalis Kimutai

Correspondent

Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

• Governor Erick Mutai said he is ready to work with Mr Kirui under another arrangement in the future.
• Mr Kirui accused his boss of undermining and sidelining him in the running of the county government.

Kericho Governor Erick Mutai has extended an olive branch to his deputy Fred Kirui ahead of the 2027 general election, with the two leaders having been at loggerheads for the last four years.

Dr Mutai said at the weekend he is ready to work with Mr Kirui under another arrangement in the future, noting that the political contest and the fallout was not personal.

“I want to tell my deputy, who is here, that although we have not had a cozy relationship since we were elected in the last general election, I am ready to work with you in the future under other arrangements. There is nothing personal in politics” Dr Mutai said.

Speaking in Kipkelion, in the presence of Mr Kirui, the governor said he was disappointed that his deputy had chosen to work with his political rivals instead of fostering unity among them and seeking to deliver their joint mandate ahead of the 2027 general election.

“Instead of supporting me to serve the people of this great county of Kericho, my deputy chose to take around my opponent, former Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter in what amounted to insubordination” Dr Mutai stated.

“But I have since noticed that you might have realised your mistake along the way and how costly it can be in politics even as you sought to chart your own political path.” 

On the other hand, Mr Kirui accused his boss of undermining him, sidelining him in the running of the county government and using junior staff to undermine him.

“I have suffered a lot under this administration, being forced to fuel my own official vehicle or use mine for official functions, the budget to my office has been cut while my staff were withdrawn and redeployed” Mr Kirui, said.

He has previously stated that he will be contesting against his boss next year, and that he will seek new political partners.

Dr Mutai threw his deputy under the bus in August this year publicly stating he had settled on former Kipkelion Member of Parliament Jackson Rop, the County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Finance and Economic Planning as a running mate in the 2027 poll.

“I want to clear the air and tell my Deputy Fred Kirui in his presence here, that since it is public knowledge that he was behind the two failed attempts to have me impeached, our political relationship has come to an end” Dr Mutai said at the time in Chilchila ward, Kipkelion West constituency.

Dr Mutai said “Moving forward, I will be working with Mr Rop and have the Deputy Governor’s position retained at Kipkelion West constituency where Engineer Kiui comes from”

“You (Mr Kirui) are free to look for other leaders to work with in next year’s election as I will be seeking re-election with a new running mate. That way, I will bring to an end the toxic relationship that has persisted since we were elected four years ago” Dr Mutai stated in the presence of the Deputy Governor.

The two top county leaders have had a rocky relationship since they were elected following a deal that was hammered two days to the April 14, 2022 UDA party nomination, where they handed a defeat to former Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter.

A power sharing formula that was not honoured, failure to agree on appointment of County Executive Committee members , Chief Officers, identifying, prioritizing and funding of development projects – are some of the areas that have seen the two chart different political directions and go for each other’s political jugular.

Engineer Kirui has repeatedly claimed in public that a 60-40 power deal had been shredded by the Governor, despite the agreement having been witnessed by former Roads Minister Franklin Bett and businessman Job Chirchir among others in a high stakes game.

Mr Keter would subsequently garner 60,342 votes against Dr Mutai who secured 126,038 votes to win the primaries with the August 9, 2022 poll being a coronation.

But Mr Kirui has been framed by Dr Mutai as one of the architects of his two failed impeachment attempts – which the Senate overturned on October 2, 2024 and August 26, 2025.

Speaker of the County Assembly Dr Patrick Mutai has also been accused by the governor of being behind the two impeachments, both sponsored by the Sigowet Member of the County Assembly Kiprotich Rogony – but twice shot down by the Senate.

A number of attempts have been made to reconcile the governor and his deputy with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in 2023, several others led by Bishop Alfred Rotich of the Catholic Diocese of Kenya, Bishop Ernest Ngeno of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), Dr Robert Langat, the Head of the African Gospel Church (AGC), and the Kipsigis Myoot Council of Elders chairman Richard Ngeno.

Mr Keter, who is currently serving as an advisor on the Great Lakes Region to President William Ruto has announced that he will be making a second stab at the position in the next general election.

Former Cabinet Secretary for Labour and currently High Commissioner to Namibia Florence Bore is the new entrant to the race that is shaping up as a fight of the titans with Speaker of the County Assembly Dr Patrick Mutai also having shown interest in the position.

A number of Deputy Governors have fallen out with Governors since the onset of devolution in what has led to high turnover of the office holders.

A Bill was sponsored in 2024 by Meru Senator Kathuri Murungi seeking to strengthen the position of deputy governor, giving the office holders more teeth and ability to represent their county governments in the National and County Governments Coordinating Summit meetings.

The County Government Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 seeks to protect Deputy Governors from isolation in running of the affairs of their respective counties.

It also sought to give the Deputy Governors power to attend and chair county cabinet meetings and also flex muscle in their counties, powers which they currently do not have.

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