[Elgeyo Marakwet governor Alex Tolgos with his running mate Wesley Rotich. The governor has dropped his current deputy Gabriel Lagat. Courtesy: The Star]
Elgeyo Marakwet governor Alex Tolgos has dropped his deputy Gabriel Lagat ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
The governor has since settled on Wesley Rotich, 28, as his running mate.
On his part, Lagat welcomed Tolgos' decision to drop him, thanking the governor for granting him the opportunity to serve the people of Elgeyo Marakwet in his current capacity.
"I take the decision in good faith and will support him to ensure he is re-elected," he said on Monday.
"I am grateful for the chance to serve for the last five years as the first DG of our county and I still believe he is the best governor for the county," he added.
According to analysts, Lagat was dropped after failing to attract voters from his Keiyo backyard during the just concluded Jubilee Party primaries.
In Kipsoen polling centre for instance, governor Tolgos' garnered a paltry 17 votes, while his closest challenger and Keiyo South MP Jackson Kiptanui garnered about 500 votes.