Baringo South MP Grace Kipchoim laid to rest

Deputy President William Ruto (right) shakes hands with Baringo Senator Gideon Moi when they met at the burial of Baringo South MP Grace Kipchoim on May 5, 2018. Rift Valley elders have offered to reconcile the two leaders following their falling-out. PHOTO | CHEBOITE KIGEN | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The MP died on April 20 at Nairobi Hospital where she had been admitted after her health deteriorated.

  • The burial is taking placing against backdrop of a falling-out between DP Ruto and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi.

Deputy President William Ruto is leading dozens of leaders and mourners attending the burial of Baringo South MP Grace Kipchoim.

The MP died on April 20 at Nairobi Hospital where she was admitted after her health deteriorated.

Her children eulogised her as a caring mother who never abandoned her motherly duties despite being elected to Parliament.

Baringo South MP Grace Kipchoim has been laid rest at Komoroit village. Dozens of leaders, among them Deputy President William Ruto and Gideon Moi, attended the burial on May 5, 2018. PHOTO | CHEBOITE KIGEN | NATION MEDIA

RIFT

The burial is taking placing against backdrop of a falling-out between DP Ruto and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi after the former was denied a chance to meet with former President Moi on Thursday.

On Friday, the Rift Valley Council of Elders offered to steer reconciliation talks between Mr Ruto and Mr Moi ahead of the 2022 elections.

The elders through their patron Gilbert Kabage, warned that political divisions threaten to cost the region the presidency in 2022.

The deputy president Ruto visited former President Daniel Moi at his Kabarak home, but failed to meet him.

Mr Ruto was told that the former president could not meet with him as he was undergoing a routine physiotherapy session with his doctors.

The DP’s failure to meet Mr Moi sparked a debate in the political circles with a section of leaders blaming the younger Moi of having a hand in Thursday's events.

The elders said uniting the two, would be for the good of the Rift Valley region ahead of 2022 presidential race.

“What happened in Kabarak is wrong. If the two do not reconcile and go the direction we want, then it will be very unfortunate,” said Mr Kabage.

He added: “If someone blocked the Deputy President from seeing Mzee Moi, he should apologise and even go to church and repent”.