In a major political shakeup ahead of the next general election cycle, Kericho Governor Dr. Erick Mutai has formally dissolved his partnership with Deputy Governor Fred Kirui.

Addressing a public gathering in Chilchila Ward within Kipkelion West, Mutai publicly pointed fingers at Kirui, accusing him of covertly engineering the two separate impeachment proceedings launched against his administration.

The Governor told his deputy who was in attendance that their joint political journey under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) banner had drawn to an abrupt close.

“I want to tell my Deputy Fred Kirui, in his presence here: since it is public knowledge that he was behind the two failed attempts to have me impeached, our political relationship has come to an end,” Mutai declared. “You are free to look for others to work with in next year’s election. I will be seeking re-election with a new running mate.”

Laying out his early strategy for his second-term bid, Governor Mutai revealed his intention to tap Jackson Rop the current County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Finance and Economic Planning as his preferred running mate.

Although Mutai and Kirui secured victory on a unified ticket during the 2022 polls, operational governance within Kericho County has been repeatedly fractured by administrative friction.

Tension between the county’s top two offices escalated early in their term over senior cabinet appointments, staff deployments, and the execution of key infrastructure projects.

Public cracks first surfaced during the June 2023 Madaraka Day celebrations when Kirui characterized their administration as a power-sharing arrangement that demanded mutual respect.

At the time, Mutai countered by insisting that informal political pacts must never take precedence over public service delivery to the electorate.

The political rift ultimately led to two separate attempts by the Kericho County Assembly to remove Governor Erick Mutai from office, both of which were ultimately defeated on the floor of the Senate.

In October 2024, the Senate rejected the initial impeachment attempt after ruling that the county assembly had failed to reach the required two-thirds voting threshold necessary to sustain his removal.

A second motion in August 2025 which alleged administrative misconduct and irregular procurement practices met a similar fate when the Senate plenary dismissed the charges, determining that the constitutional standards required for an ouster had not been met.