Nakuru County Governor Lee Kinyanjui. [Photo/Softkenya]
Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui has found himself at the center of a storm after a section of Kalenjin leaders accused him of making inflammatory statements that could jeopardize peaceful coexistence among ethnic communities in the region.
The elders drawn mainly from Rongai and Nakuru West constituencies took issue with sentiments attributed to Governor Kinyanjui who was reacting to the forceful eviction of hawkers in Uasin Gishu County last week.
The eviction has since drawn national condemnation.
During a thanksgiving ceremony at the home of Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri on Saturday, Kinyanjui urged his Uasin Gishu counterpart Jackson Mandago to stop harassing hawkers and also ensure equitable distribution of resources in the area.
In his words, Kinyanjui who has always assumed a high moral ground challenged Governor Mandago to 'treat well our people the way we’re treating your people'.
The leaders led by former coordinator of the Nakuru County Peace Accord Andrew Yatich described the statement by Kinyanjui as reckless and unwarranted.
“Those kind of words must not come from a leader entrusted with the position of the governor. It is uncalled for to hear governor Kinyanjui say that,” said Yatich.
Gladys Kamuren, former Nakuru West parliamentary aspirant threatened to lead a demonstration against Governor Kinyanjui if he fails to render a satisfactory apology to the public in the next one week.
Nakuru County was the epicenter of the 2007/07 post-election skirmishes and the least residents want is any trigger of clashes that may reverse gains achieved by years of a painstaking peacebuilding process in the county that is classified as volatile.