Pole Sana Honourable William Ruto

This is one of the moving pictures during former roads minister Kipkalya Kones' requiem mass yesterday. Mr Ruto's loss cannot be understated following the plane crash that also took with it the life of Honourable Lorna Labosso, a fellow Kipsigis (a Kalenjin subtribe) MP to Kones. The sudden and unexpected death of a loved one is very painful. Pole sana Honourable William Ruto.

That said, there are many in the Rift Valley who did not have the sacred moment of coming to terms with the sudden death of their loved ones. Their loved ones were brutally and grievously hacked to death, others shot with poisoned arrows and others burnt alive. Many were denied the sacred right to grieve in peace for their murdered loved ones.

Thousands were denied the sacred opportunity of giving their loved ones a decent burial. They were forced to squeeze their fathers, mothers, friends, sons and daughters into pit latrines or bury them in shallow mass graves. Sadly others were forced to hurriedly run for their lives leaving their departed loved ones' bodies to rot in the open, in shame. These thousands suffered indignity just because they were not Kalenjin. Thousands are still suffering having being denied the chance to put back their lives together. Just because they are not Kalenjin.

It is disconcerting that the emerging leader of the Kalenjin, William arap Samoei Ruto has a heart that is not made of stone. It should be comforting, having himself acknowledged publicly that he is the leader of the Kalenjin. Probably, in the ticking of time he will empathize with the course of the non-Kalenjin in the Rift Valley.