Church managers and the congregation at ACK St Peter’s Emakoko church in Kajiado East Constituency were left in shock after area MP Peris Tobiko skipped DP Rutos lunch.
Those present said Ms Tobiko attended a fundraiser at the church but hurriedly left and “refused to join” the guests for lunch on Sunday.
During the Harambee, Ruto gave Sh 2 million while Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku gave Sh 400,000.
Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkulal gave Sh 200,000 whereas Ms Tobiko Sh 50,000.
During the church service, Lenku said in the presence of DP William Ruto that Tata Magadi Limited must abide by the County’s Finance Act and pay its land rates; observe the Public Health Act for their Kajiado Town depot and adhere to the Mining Act (2016) OR SHIP OUT OF KAJIADO.
On Thursday, Governor Lenku led 3,000 members of four group ranches to storm the company forcing employees to close the soda ash processing plant on Thursday.
However, several residents told Hot News that Ms Tobiko met Tata managers together with Magadi MCA Joseph Masiaya who has now disowned the protests by Governor Lenku.
The two are being viewed as having betrayed the Maasai Community.
Masiaya had joined Governor Lenku for the Thursday protests and beat a hasty retreat on Friday saying he “backed Tata Chemicals and not the community”.
In fact, the link to the Tata matter and MP Tobiko’s missed lunch was unwittingly revealed by DP Ruto’s head of protocol who explained to the DP’s security at the lunch venue.
,” Mama Mheshimiwa amesikia hiyo mambo ya Magadi Soda itaongelewa akapotea.Hiyo mkutano yao ya Friday na Watu wa Magadi soda ni kama ameogopa kuulizwa( The Honorable lady heard that the Magadi Soda issue will be raised here and she vanished.,”said the Protocol official.
Efforts to reach Ms Tobiko on why she ducked the DP’s lunch were futile as she did not respond to text messages nor answer her calls.
By joining supporters of Tata Chemicals, MP Tobiko and MCA Masiaya are now in the camp of former Olkejuado County Chairman Tarayia Ole Kores during whose tenure Tata acquired thousands of acres from the Iloodokilani community in Magadi.