President Ruto’s home county fails to celebrate Labour Day,

Cotu officials stranded at the Central Primary Grounds/Photo James Gitaka
President William Ruto’s home county of Uasin Gishu failed to host this year’s Labour day celebrations to the disappointment of workers affiliated to Central Organization of Trade Union North Rift chapter leaders.
A section of the residents including traditional dancers, and members of the choir teams from various state agencies eager to entertain invited guests at Eldoret central primary school ground, the venue of the National event were surprised to find an empty field.
There were neither tents nor chairs at the 200-capacity primary school ground as is usually the norm whenever such National events are hosted at the facility.
Speaking to the media at the field, Peter Odima, the Cotu North Rift chapter chairman who found himself and his secretary alone in the field took issue with the county government for failing to provide chairs and tents for the event as is the norm.
The County Commissioner, Eddyson Nyale noted that it was not the duty of his office to organize the county celebrations.
“I was here since 10am with a speech from Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli that I was supposed to read to the public only to find an empty play ground with neither tents nor chairs for invited guests
and members of the public to sit on,” complained Odima.
He said that in previous years the county government would normally provide the chairs and tents but this time round failed to do so.
“We had local companies whom we partner in such events who had brought soft drinks for the guests during the fete and they have been forced to go back with the drinks,” said Odima.
The 64 stadium in Eldoret which has been hosting the county National events is under major renovation, the reason why such national fetes have been shifted to Eldoret central primary school ground.
However, a reliable source at the devolved unit who sought anonymity attributed the failure to provide chairs and tents at the venue of the event to logistic problems.
“As you are aware, all counties are facing financial problems and therefore we could not be in a position to ferry the tents and chairs to the venue of the National fete due to lack of money for fuel and
other logistics,” he said.