A section of Rift Valley politicians allied to Deputy President William Ruto has been told to go slow in their push for his 2022 presidency.
This is after they piled pressure on President Uhuru Kenyatta to declare DP Ruto would be his preferred candidate to succeed him in the next election when he toured Nandi and Bomet counties early last week.
Led by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and his Nandi counterpart Samson Cherargai, the leaders prodded the Jubilee Party leader to break his silence on the succession issue and announce that his 2013 pre-election deal with his deputy still stands.
But according to Emurua Dikirr Member of Parliament Johanna Ng’eno, it was wrong for the politicians to demand Ruto's endorsement for the top seat even before Uhuru had settled into his second term.
The vocal KANU MP said the restlessness being exhibited by some Rift Valley leaders was harming DP's chances as it was portraying the Kalenjin community in a bad picture.
"It is only one year since the last general election. There are four more years to another election. Between now and then, so many things will have changed. The picture Kenyans are getting is that Kalenjins are power hungry. That is wrong," Ng'eno said.
He called on the leaders to concentrate on serving the electorate adding that the 2022 debate was irrelevant for now.