Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot and former Kakamega Senator Boni Khwalwale clashed on social media after Deputy President William Ruto met Raila Odinga.
On Sunday, December 12, the 2022 presidential election frontrunners Raila Odinga and William Ruto exchanged chats during this year’s 58th Jamhuri Day celebrations, something that elicited sharp reactions from the two allies of Tanga Tanga political camp.
While Senator Cheruiyot termed the 2022 presidential contest as a ‘Nilotes derby’, said the exchange of pleasantries between the two political foes was a good thing since they are both nilotes speakers and that a win for either Raila or Ruto in the 2022 presidential duel would be a win for the country.
“The Nilotes size each other up. The Nilotes Derby on 9th Aug 2022 will be one like no other. Good thing, it will be home either way,”
However, Cheruiyot’s remarks appeared not to appease Boni Khalwale who is eying the Kakamega gubernatorial seat on a UDA ticket, a party heavily associated with William Ruto.
Khalwale however, accused Cheruiyot of stimulating ethnic division saying the utterances by Kericho Senator could likely deny the deputy president the required support especially from his Rift Valley turf to beat his main competitor Raila Odinga.
He called out Cheruiyot asking him to abandon ethnic things stating that it reverses the huge gains the UDA political camp has made for the deputy president.
“Kenyans will be voting for a Kenyan. Not a Nilot! Abandon this ethnic thing unless you want to reverse the huge gains we have made for Williams Ruto in the own Nilotic voting bloc,” Khalwale said in a Tweet.
Both Senator Aaron and former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale subscribe to the ideals of UDA, a political camp supporting William Ruto’s presidential bid.
