- Ruto was in Homa Bay in October last year when he attended a prayer service at AIC church.
- Some ODM leaders have asked their supporters to skip the Oriwo thanksgiving and attend the Nyamasaria rally that may be attended by Raila.
Image: FILE
Hours to the homecoming ceremony for Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, claims have emerged of plans to disrupt the Saturday event at Oriwo Boys in Homa Bay.
On Friday, some United Democratic Alliance[UDA] leaders claimed that their opponents in the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya alliance are plotting to cause mayhem.
They particularly alleged that Azimio's last-minute plans to organise a political rally at Kisumu's Nyamasaria Bus Park on Saturday are aimed at paralysing the ceremony.
Majority of the invited guests are expected to start arriving through Kisumu Airport on Friday evening to attend the ceremony that will take place nearly 70 kilometers away in Homa Bay County.
President William Ruto is expected to grace the ceremony which will also be attended by top government officials including his deputy Rigathi Gachagua and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
The ceremony comes at a time when there is growing hostility between Ruto and Raila.
The high political temperatures have been stoked by the latest wave of protests against the government by the opposition.
Homa Bay, which has also witnessed protests, is perceived to be Raila's stronghold and most dependable political bastion.
Homa Bay UDA county chairman Collins Kadweya appealed to the opposition to respect the thanksgiving ceremony.
"What we have is not a political rally but a ceremony to say thank you to the government for appointing our son Raymond Omollo to the position of Principal Secretary for Interior and National Administration," he said.
According to Kadweya, there are plans to disrupt the event.
"We are appealing to Azimio leaders to also come and attend the ceremony in peace and denounce any plans to cause mayhem," he said.
Among the invited guests are Cabinet Secretaries, PSs, parastatal heads, among other dignitaries.
This is the second homecoming ceremony of a top government official that Ruto will be attending in Luo Nyanza after that of Information and Communication Technology [ICT] CS Eliud Owalo.
It will also be Ruto's third trip to Homa Bay County since his elected as president.
Ruto was in Homa Bay in October last year when he attended a prayer service at AIC church.
However, the opposition leader skipped the event.
The President in January visited Homa Bay as part of his development tour of the Nyanza region and launched a number of projects.
Hesborn Omollo, the PS's brother, said they had invited politicians across the political divide to attend the event including county governor Gladys Wanga and Senator Moses Kajwang'.
"This is not a political meeting and we welcome everyone, including all elected leaders from this region," he said when he briefed the press at Oriwo Boys on Thursday.
PS Omollo has said the meeting will be a thanksgiving for his appointment.
"We expect President Ruto to be in Homa Bay... He will use the opportunity to reaffirm his commitment to the people of Homa Bay," he said.
Some ODM leaders have asked their supporters to skip the Oriwo thanksgiving and attend the Nyamasaria rally that may be attended by Raila.