The former personal assistant to Emurua Dikirr Member of Parliament Johanna Ng’eno, Benard Ng’eno Arap Buluu, has taken a political stance, saying that Rift Valley leaders will not survive the 2027 polls by clinging to President William Ruto for political protection.

Speaking on Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Bomet during the commemoration of 40 days of late Ng’eno, Buluu, said leaders who have failed in their responsibilities will ultimately face rejection from voters, regardless of their alliances in government.

He argued that political survival should be determined by service delivery rather than association with powerful figures, adding that residents will be the final judges of their leaders.

“We, as youth we have said that we can’t allow politicians who are coming here to always say they are campaigning for the president. We already have the votes for the president, and they cannot tell us who we should vote for,” Ng’eno stated.

“We cannot allow leaders to hide behind the president for survival. Those who have failed the people will be cleaned out by the electorate. Wote ni wantam,” he said.

Demand for developments

He added that the electorate in the Rift Valley region now wants the development projects in their areas and not continuous campaigns from the local leaders, who he said have always leaned on the president’s back for sympathy votes.

“We need leaders who are talking about developments. Some people always come here asking for the president’s votes without any development. Those are jokers,” Ng’eno stated.

He said that the local leaders should focus on campaigning for their votes first through development projects to the electorate before speaking for the president’s votes.

“Let the local leaders first seek their votes through giving us the development we demand at the ground level; the president’s votes are already secured,” Ng’eno said.

“Failure to do so, we will send them home come 2027. We are not joking this time.”

Ngeno political stand

Ng’eno has been a vocal leader in the Rift Valley politics since Ng’eno’s sudden death in February 2026 led to the by-election, which not only created a leadership gap but also disrupted a carefully constructed political network in the constituency.

He was endorsed to run for the seat, which he contested for the Emurua Dikirr United Democratic Alliance (UDA) parliamentary party ticket, but lost to David Kipsang Keter, a three-time opponent of former Member of Parliament (MP) Johana Ng’eno.

Keter garnered 13,759 votes against, Bernard Kipkoech Ng’eno, the former MP’s personal assistant, who got 13,394 votes in a hotly contested poll in a constituency that is a political hotbed.

David will fly the UDA flag ahead of the by-elections, with opposition leaders also eyeing the seat.