- DP Rigathi Gachagua and Raila Odinga are also expected at the event
- Over 10,000 participants, both local and international, are expected to attend.
Image: WILLIAM RUTO/TWITTER
President William Ruto flew to Eldoret town on Sunday ahead of the start of the devolution conference that is slated to start on Tuesday, August 15-19.
Ruto flew from Uganda where he had met his counterpart Yoweri Museveni earlier in the day.
President Ruto said they discussed topics of mutual interest, particularly trade, security, and agriculture.
“Kenya and Uganda have a firm partnership based on decades of East African brotherhood, strong cooperation, and consistent engagement,” he said on Sunday.
Museveni said they discussed bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.
After the meeting, he flew to Eldoret where officials said he will spend the better part of the week.
In Eldoret, security has been tightened ahead of the start of the event.
Top security officials led by Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police Douglas Kanja have been holding a series of meetings to plan the situation on the ground.
He said they have put in place mechanisms to deal with any situation and assured visitors that security is tight.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and opposition leader Raila Odinga are also expected to grace the event.
Over 10,000 participants, both local and international, are expected to attend.
Ruto is expected to officially open the conference on Wednesday, and former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair is among the dignitaries expected to attend.
The Council of Governors says Odinga will grace the event on Thursday, while Gachagua will preside over the official closing ceremony on Friday.
The two Speakers and Chief Justice Martha Koome are among those slated to address the meeting.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii said preparations for the event are complete.
The event will be held at the Eldoret Sports Club.
It will be the first Biennial Devolution Conference to be hosted by the CoG.
The county has been carrying out a major facelift of Eldoret town, including the completion of key projects, as part of preparations ahead of the conference.
Additional streetlights and repairs of key roads in the town are complete to ensure security and movement will be smooth during the conference.
The 47 governors and their deputies will arrive in Eldoret and their first activity will be a visit to the Rivatex textile company on August 14 to assess the revival of the firm.