This archive report was first published on 17 June 2020.
On June 5, 2022, Deputy President William Ruto was coronated by the Talai Council of Elders in Nandi County, a move that has sparked controversy. The controversy took a dramatic turn after the council's vice chairman, Christopher Koyogi, was expelled.
According to the council, Koyogi was accused of violating the integrity of the Talai clan by allegedly coronating former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in 2017 without consulting the elders. The council also accused Koyogi of presiding over the coronation of Martha Karua in 2011 without the consent of the Talai elders.
Speaking to the press, the council's treasurer, Christopher Agui, said that President Uhuru Kenyatta was invited to grace the Koitalel Samoei commemoration in Nandi Hills in October 2017, where he was decorated with leadership regalia. Agui claimed that since then, the council had been organizing to bless the DP with the leadership regalia, and that June 5 was 'appropriate and fulfillment to his promise.'
The council's secretary, Moses Saina, said that several meetings were held before the DP was invited for the coronation, which was done in the morning in line with the community's respect for the light at sunrise (Asis). Saina added that the council had maintained their stand that the DP got their blessings witnessed by the five sub-clans of Kapturgat, Kapsonet, Kapsogon, Kamursoi, and Kapchesang.
However, Koyogi, who is 80 years old and has served as a councillor for Kaspsisiywa for over a quarter-century, strongly criticized Ruto's coronation, claiming that it was done while President Uhuru Kenyatta was still in office. Koyogi dismissed the event and said they had coronated President Kenyatta in 2013 and were yet to identify another leader to be decorated with the leadership regalia and blessings.
But the clan, in a statement after its meeting, accused Koyogi of 'being sly and [because he had] carried out illegitimate coronation of Raila Odinga in 2017 in Kapsabet while President Uhuru was still president.'
The council's chairman, Rev James Bassy, announced Koyogi's expulsion on Tuesday, following deliberations among 22 Talai clansmen at a meeting held at Kapsisiywa in Chesumei Constituency on Thursday last week. The council named Mr Lawrence Nganai as Koyogi's replacement.
Mr Fred Songol, another elder, said the expelled elder 'will not be cursed' and that he has a right to choose his political affiliation. 'We will only unseat him from the council.'
