Report By Leo Odera Omolo.

A sharp differences emerged between the Kipsigis leaders within the Kericho County after a delegates meeting called for the purpose of electing interim officials of the United Democratic Movement {UDM}branch in the region ended in disarray..

Two parallel groups emerged making this difficult for the delegates. One group is said to be allied to the party’s national chairman, Joseph Chirchir, while the other group gravitate around the Eldoret North MP William Ruto his political surrogates led by the Belgut MP Charles Keter.

The meeting was originally planned to be held at Kericho Day Secondary School, but the venue was changed abruptly after the Ruto group had intervened forcing the Chirchir group to move to the Tea Hotel.

At the Tea Hotel a Mombasa based businessman Justice Kemei was elected the interim chairman with Mr. Terer, a former AFC managing Director as the vice chairman and Mrs Rachel Yegon who is vying for women representative is the new the interim branch secretary .Prof Paul Chepkwony of the Moi University, Mrs Edna Bore, the wife of the former Nyanza P.C. the late Amos Bore and Nelson Koech were named women and youth leaders respectively.

Justice Kemei said he had the authority and mandate from the party headquarters to conduct the elections.

Reports making the round in Kericho and Bomet Counties says Ruto and his alliance favored the former Speaker of the National Assembly Francis Ole Kaparo to become the party’s national leader of the UDM as a bit to attract the Maasai votes for next year’s presidential race. while the Kipsigis politician with exception of MP wants Joseph Chirchir to continued as the party national leaders and anything short of this they would consider themselves as being short changed and marginalized.

But within an hour later a parallel meeting of civic leaders led by the Belgut MP called for another meeting at the County Hall of the County Council of Kipsigis where a large number of civic allied to Keter had converged. Niceties were exchanged with each civic leaders allegedly receiving cash handout of Kshs 2000 purposely to scuttle the Tea Hotel elections.

Meanwhile residents of Kericho County have expressed disappointment at the announcement that an excessively wealthy Kericho businessman is to purchase close to 100,000 UDM membership cards for free distribution o the party members.

The news of the alleged plan was aired to listeners of Kass FM Radio station on the morning of Monday November14 during the station’s morning breakfast talks show.

Station quoted a contributor from Sotik whose name was simply given as” Mr Chiefwhip” as saying that a Kericho tycoon Ken Mutai of the Mutai Wholesalers as the on who is allegedly planning to purchase the largest number of UDM membership card for free distribution oh members and has also agree to provide the party with a free office space in the town.

Another source privy to the goings about Kericho politics says Ken Mutai has already shown keen interests in contesting the elections in the newly created Sigowet parliamentary seat, Mutai is a close relative of he Belgut MP Charles Keter and also a business partner in transport business enterprise.

Mutai, however, could not be reached to confirm or deny the alleged plan to purchase huge bulks of UDM membership,

What has emerged, however, is that the Kipsigis politicians are sharply divided into two major camps scrambling fort the party leadership, a move which the local political pundits view as likely to benefit the ODM and KANU parties whose presence in the region

Ends