Uasin Gishu Deputy Governor John Barorot Resigns After Months Of Missing Key County Events

• Uasin Gishu deputy governor John Barorot announced his resignation on Monday, August 19, at a meeting with senior county officials
• There had been fallout claims between Barorot and Governor Jonathan Bii after the deputy county boss started skipping key functions
• An officer at the governor's office dismissed claims of a fallout, disclosing that Barorot resigned after securing a better-paying job

Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Uasin Gishu deputy governor John Barorot has resigned from his position.

Why did John Barorot resign?

Barorot made the announcement on Monday, August 19, during a meeting with senior county staff at the Eka Hotel in Eldoret.

Governor Jonathan Bii was present when his deputy made the announcement, but the governor will make the official communication public at a press briefing.

A source at the Uasin Gishu governor's office told TUKO.co.ke that Barorot resigned on good terms with his boss.

According to the source, who requested anonymity, the deputy governor resigned to search for greener pastures abroad.

He indicated that Barorot had secured a well-paying job as chief executive officer of a multinational organisation.

Addressing the media, Barorot confirmed that he resigned because he secured an international job in the ICT sector.

He said he had a good working relationship with the governor over the last two years, and they discussed his exit last month.

“The governor is my friend and we have worked very well and discussed my exit in the last month,” said Barorot.

Why Polycarp Igathe resigned as deputy governor

In 2018, then-Nairobi deputy governor Polycarp Igathe resigned months after reports emerged of a bitter fallout with ex-governor Mike Sonko.

In a statement seen by TUKO.co.ke, Igathe said that he had failed to win Sonko's trust to run the administration and management of the county government.

Igathe became the first deputy governor to leave office barely four months after being elected alongside Sonko on a Jubilee ticket in a hotly contested election on August 8, 2017.

In his letter dated Thursday, January 11, 2018, addressed to Sonko and then-speaker of the Nairobi County Assembly Beatrice Elachi, Igathe said he could not continue serving in the office.

Reports emerged that Igathe had bitterly fallen out with Sonko, forcing the ex-governor to post their private phone conversations on his Facebook page to dispel the rumours.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke