Missing Tonui quietly bows out of Bomet seat contest

A move by Bomet Central MP Ronald Tonui to bow out of the parliamentary race in this year’s election has set the stage for a bruising battle among the five aspirants for  the seat.

Tonui last appeared in public during Deputy President William Ruto’s development tour of Bomet at Silibwet stadium early last year.

The legislator has kept off public events and campaigns, something that has caused unease among his supporters.

When asked by a section of youth during a recent meeting, Tonui only told them that residents were aware of whom they are going to elect.

Tonui, however, said he would return to politics in future in a different capacity.

“I made up my mind well when I was elected in 2013 that I would be a two term MP and quit so that I can leave room for other leaders to also show what they have,” he said.

Bomet Woman Rep Joyce Korir will not be defending her seat but will instead contest the Boment Central race.

She  will now face off with Richard Kilel, Agnes Ruto and Nairobi County CEC Charles Kerich who are among the civil servants set to resign next month. Also in the race is Patrick Bii.

Kilel who is a top contender for the seat unsuccessfully vied in 2017, coming second to Tonui.

In one of his meetings at Chesoen, Kilel urged the residents to elect him saying despite losing he has been supporting the needy and even community projects and given a chance he will allocate more funds through the CDF to projects in the rural areas.

“We need a servant leader, someone who has the interests of the people at heart, not a greedy one…what informs the decision for a leader to jump from one position to the other?” he posed in direct attack at the woman representative.

Announcing the decision to run for the seat, Kerich, a former news editor, said he wants to transform development fortunes for the constituency.