- Nandi business community member Fred Kipkemboi said traders incurred huge losses from looting during the protests
- Kitur warned sponsors of the protests calling themy coup plotters against the President
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Kalenjin council of elders has defended President William Ruto and issued a warning to Gen Z over the ongoing protests.
The elders, accompanied by the business community, said the silence of the Kalenjin community should not be taken as a weakness.
Led by chairman of Got-ab-Miyoot (Kalenjin elders’ umbrella body) Benjamin Kitur, the elders said Ruto was democratically elected and attempts to subvert the will of the people will not be taken lightly.
Kitur warned sponsors of the protests calling themy coup plotters against the President.
“We are issuing a warning to our grandchildren that “a regime change” they are being tricked to use will not work and they will regret”Kitur said.
“People of Sudan were used the same way and four years down the line, the country has not experienced peace… let’s use alternative means to address our grievances," he said.
Nandi business community member Fred Kipkemboi said traders incurred huge losses from looting during the protests.
He said civilians and police are suffering.
Kipkemboi urged security agencies to carry out a thorough investigation and bring to book all the plotters of the protests.
He criticised Nandi leaders for standing on the fence and failing speak out against the on-going civil strife.
"Nandi MP’s have been conspicuously absent. They only make technical appearances in their constituencies and fly out in choppers," Kipkemboi said.
“I want to tell our leaders to stop using helicopters when visiting our region…we want them to travel by road to establish the kind of infrastructure we have and speak to the people, otherwise they are total failures.”
He urged leaders to display sobriety and humble themselves instead of displaying arrogance and treating the public with contempt.
“The President has no one on the ground, the people he bestowed power upon are so arrogant and have lost lovewith the public…it’s time they came out and address issues bedeviling voters,” Kipkemboi said.
The businessman asked the youth to keep off the protests that have been taken over by people who want to destroy the country.
“We don't want to give way to the plotters of destruction because we want peace,” he said.