Bomet Governor Prof Hillary Barchok has broken his silence over the heckling he faced during President William Ruto’s visit to the county, accusing his political rivals of orchestrating the incident to portray him as politically weakened.
Barchok was heckled by a section of the crowd after he was invited to address residents during Ruto’s visit to Bomet last week, sparking speculation over his popularity in the county as political activity intensifies ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking in an interview with a local station on Monday, September 14, 2026, the governor claimed the disruption was part of a deliberate political scheme by his opponents, whom he accused of attempting to create an impression that he had lost influence among residents.
“I know how I handle my politics. These are just critics. They had even planned and tried to block the opening of the County Assembly,” Barchok said.
The governor maintained that the incident did not reflect his standing among residents, arguing that his administration should instead be judged by the development projects and services it has delivered across the county.
Barchok said he remained confident in his record, insisting that his supporters were aware of what his administration had achieved since taking office.
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“We have a scorecard that is perfect. We are doing well, and our true loyal supporters know it,” he said.
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The governor also pledged to complete projects already initiated by his administration while rolling out additional programmes before the end of his tenure.
He further thanked President Ruto and the national government for supporting development programmes in Bomet, singling out Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and other national government officials for their role in projects being implemented in the county.
Barchok said cooperation between the national and county governments was yielding tangible results, particularly in infrastructure and other development programmes.
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His latest remarks come at a time when the political temperature in Bomet and the wider South Rift is rising ahead of the 2027 elections.
The governor is expected to leave the gubernatorial race after his current term and is positioning himself for the Bomet Senatorial seat in 2027.
Barchok is expected to face incumbent Senator Hillary Sigei and former Bomet Woman Representative Chepkirui Kones, among other potential contenders.
The race is likely to attract heightened attention as political alignments in the South Rift continue to shift, with national leaders and local politicians seeking to consolidate their influence ahead of the 2027 polls.
