CS Soipan Tuya warns against ethnic politics in Narok ahead of the 2027 election

Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya has warned politicians against exploiting ethnic differences to divide residents of Narok for political gain, urging leaders to promote unity ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Tuya said no community should claim ownership of Narok Town, insisting that residents from different ethnic backgrounds must coexist and work together to address challenges facing the county.

Speaking during a church service at St. Mary’s Girls High School Grounds, Narok, on Sunday, attended by President William Ruto, Tuya cautioned leaders against using tribal identities to mobilise political support at the expense of peaceful coexistence.

"We will not accept people who bring divisions among citizens on the basis of ethnicity. We will not accept people who come and tell us that a particular community of people, Narok Town belongs to them," she said.

She urged residents to reject leaders who portray some communities as outsiders, saying such rhetoric was often driven by the pursuit of political support.

"No leader should come here and tell us that certain people are Maasai, others are Kikuyu and others belong to different tribes. Such people are simply coming to incite citizens because they want votes," Tuya said.

She warned that politicians who exploit ethnic differences during campaigns often abandon communities after elections, leaving residents to deal with their challenges.

"After the elections, they will leave, and we will remain here to deal with the problems facing the people of Narok," she said.

Tuya said the interests of Narok residents were shared, calling on leaders to guide citizens towards peaceful coexistence rather than political divisions.

She also challenged religious leaders to play their part in promoting unity, saying the Church had a responsibility to guide its followers just as elected leaders were expected to serve and guide the people.

"When we see citizens being led in the wrong direction, we must speak the truth so that they can return to the right path, the path that will move us forward," she said.

Her remarks follow tensions witnessed during the Maa Cultural and Tourism Festival on Saturday following a confrontation between two rival groups at Sekenani Gate in Narok West.

Videos circulating online showed attendees scrambling for safety as the confrontation disrupted activities, with chairs overturned and people seen throwing objects at one another.

Established in 2023 through a partnership between the county governments of Narok, Kajiado and Samburu, the annual festival brings together Maa-speaking communities, including the Maasai, Samburu and Ilchamus, to celebrate their shared cultural heritage.