Photos of the week: Ruto faces the mountain
Here are the photos that summed up this week.
16h agoPERPETUA ETYANGNews
President William made a triumphant entry to Mt Kenya region this week for the first-ever development tour in over six months since the impeachment of deputy president Rigathi Gachagua.
Ruto’s visit came at a time when Gachagua has continued to build alliances with former political foes as they prepare for 2027.
Amid speculations of a restive mountain, Ruto received a warm reception in all the regions he visited and stopped to address the residents.
The Head of State who was accompanied by his Deputy Kithure Kindiki among several elected leaders traversed seven counties launching new projects, inspecting ongoing ones, and commissioning completed ones..
The tour was centred on roads, electricity, water, and health projects in the region.
Recently, Ruto said the government has released funds to complete stalled road projects around the country, among them the Mau Mau road that cuts across the Mt Kenya counties.
This is how it went down.
He arrived at the Sagana State Lodge on Monday and later in the evening held a live interview with vernacular stations from the region.
April 1 (Tuesday)
He began the tour in Laikipia by opening a tuition block at Ng’arachi comprehensive school followed by the launch of last mile connectivity project in the same area.
The government is investing Sh1.12 billion to connect 9, 000 households in the county.
To facilitate students’ return to school, Ruto said they have spent Sh200 million to rehabilitatwe nine schools in the region which include Ng’arachi, Kirima, Mahua, Muteta, Thigio, Gatarima, Mwenje, Nyakinyua and Milimani primary schools.
He later laid the foundation stone for the construction of a 10-classrooms block at Nanyuki DEB primary and Junior secondary school before inspecting the ongoing construction of Sh350 million Nanyuki modern market.
He also inspected the 200-unit Nanyuki affordable housing project before crossing over to Kieni constituency in Nyeri County.
Here, he launched the Sh850 million last mile connectivity project that will benefit 10, 000 households across the county, commissioned a 12-classrooms block at Naromoru primary school and later addressed the residents at Naromoru market.
At Sagana State Lodge, he met development partners and from the UK, Norway, France, Denmark, Canada, Netherlands and the Gates Foundation.
In a statement, Ruto announced that Kenya will co-host the headquarters of Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA).
He also chaired a virtual meeting of peace facilitators of the merged Nairobi-Lunada peace process on the eastern DRC conflict.
April 2 (Wednesday)
In Meru, he commenced the day’s activities by laying the foundation for the construction of Huduma Centre at Maua town, inspected the sewerage line that will serve 13, 000 people and presided over the issuance of title deeds for Athwana area, Tigania West.
The President also inspected the ongoing construction works for the Nkuene power substation, Imenti South.
More than 20, 000 households will benefit from over 275 electricity projects being implemented in Buuri, Central, Igembe central, Igembe north, Igembe south, north Imenti, Tigania east and Tigania west constituencies.
While addressing hundreds of residents at various stopovers in the county, Ruto put on notice cartels he said have infiltrated the miraa business to exploit farmers.
Ruto also commissioned the Kibiru beef feedlot, a facility that is set to boost livestock production in the region both for local consumption and export.
In Kirinyaga County, he commissioned the Artificial Insemination (AI) for goats centre at Mwea and laid the foundation stone for the construction of Sh310 million Kagio market that will accommodate 750 traders while also featuring an ICT hub to empower youth.
He also launched the Sh500 million last mile connectivity that will connect 6, 200 households.
In his address, Ruto said an additional Sh400 million will be made available to raise number of homes to be connected to power to 11, 000.
April 3 (Thursday)
He commenced with a breakfast meeting that brought together women from Mathira at Sagana State lodge.
He then flew to Nyandarua where he inspected the ongoing construction of J.M Kariuki memoria hospital, flagged off the last mile connectivity in Ol Kalou town and inspected the affordable housing project.
The national government, he announced, will allocate Sh800 million towards completion of the 142-bed hospital.
Ruto also laid the foundation stone for the construction of Engineer modern market in Kinangop and toured the North Kinangop affordable housing project.
In Murang’a County, he inspected the ongoing construction of Kahia irrigation project covering 1,600 acres.
It is expected to generate Sh720 million in annual output, creating up to 6,000 jobs.
Additionally, he inspected the construction of the Karugia modern market, a Sh55 million investment set for completion within two months.
In Maragaua, the President commissioned the Sh1 billion Maragua ridge irrigation development project.
With a water storage capacity of 860, 000 cubic metres, it will support irrigation on 800 acres and create over 12, 000 jobs.
In Makuyu, he flagged off the last mile connectivity project and laid the foundation stone for the construction of 764-unit affordable housing.
Later in the evening, Ruto was in Naivasha for the second Mashariki Cooperation Conference, a forum bringing together over 60 intelligence and security services from across Africa and the world.
April 4 (Friday)
In Embu, he began by launching the construction of the intake, water treatment plant, and the laying of 26km of pipes at Kamburu dam water supply project.
According to Ruto, after a 50-year wait to benefit from government dams situated in their lands, the people of Mbeere South, finally have a reason to smile.
Once complete, he stated, the project being undertaken at a cost of Sh789 million will benefit 88,000 residents with clean drinking water and boost food production through irrigation.
He then crossed to Tharaka Nithi County where he opened a tuition block at Tharaka Nithi University, assessed the Sh60 million Gatunga ESP markets that will accommodate 200 traders and the Sh112 million Chogoria market.
He later concluded by inspecting the 60-unit affordable housing project for the police in Chuka town and also the ESP market in the town before addressing residents.
