- During the trip, Ruto is expected to commission and launch a number of development projects across the four counties.
- Uriri MP Mark Nyamita said the president would launch the Kuja irrigation scheme in Migori County as well as a housing project in Kuria.
Image: PCS
President William Ruto is set for a major tour of Raila Odinga’s Luo Nyanza backyard, weeks after forming the broad-based government with the region’s sons at key dockets.
This will be Ruto’s most consequential trip to Raila’s stronghold after years of political hostilities that saw the president largely unwelcome in the region.
Ruto’s decision to work with Raila’s allies from Luo Nyanza appears to have excited the region and triggered a radical shift likely to see the president make a grand entry there.
The president’s planned unveiling of the ODM leader’s candidacy as Kenya’s candidate for the African Union Commission chairperson is expected to further change fortunes for him.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who is also the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, announced this week that Ruto will formally unveil Raila’s candidacy on Tuesday next week.
The events are strategically planned to coincide with Ruto’s Luo Nyanza tour as a curtain raiser to set the tone for the visit and parry any concerns about his commitment to Raila’s bid.
Ruto is expected to storm Luo Nyanza counties of Kisumu, Migori, Siaya and Homa Bay beginning Wednesday next week, a day after launching Raila’s bid.
During the trip, Ruto is expected to commission and launch several development projects across the four counties.
The President will also attend homecoming ceremonies for Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi in Siaya and his National Treasury Counterpart John Mbadi in Homa Bay.
The two were picked alongside other ODM bigwigs when Ruto unveiled his broad-based government a few weeks ago as a strategy to contain a wave of countrywide protests.
Others were ODM deputy party leaders Hassan Joho(Mining and Blue Economy) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives), and former party National Elections Coordinating Committee member Beatrice Askul.
Political leaders from Luo Nyanza are expected to hold a meeting to plan for the president’s trip and prioritise the projects that are set to be launched by the President.
Uriri MP Mark Nyamita said the president would launch the Kuja irrigation scheme in Migori County as well as a housing project in Kuria.
“It is time that our leaders in our region put their differences aside and collectively push for government funding for various projects," said Nyamita.
In Homa Bay, the president is expected to launch the Oyus Water project and announce more funding for the last-mile connectivity.
The trips come at a time when President Ruto has intensified regional tours to re-launch stalled projects and commission new ones as outlined in his Kenya Kwanza manifesto.
The President has toured the Coast, Mt Kenya, and Gusii region and is expected to embark on a tour of Western Kenya in the coming weeks.
In Kisumu, the president will launch the Miwani-Mamboleo road, the Sh19 billion Sondu-Soin dam and a ring road around Lake Victoria.
Ruto has previously toured the region but in most cases, some elected leaders from the region gave the trips a wide berth due to hostilities with Raila.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, Raila revealed that he would be shifting his focus from local politics to the continent.
“I am not going to be very active in Kenyan politics henceforth as I continue now to focus on the continental campaign. But it is a transitional phase from active Kenyan politics moving towards African continental politics," he said.