Mixed reactions as Ruto embarks on a week-long tour of western region

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President William Ruto embarks on a week-long development tour in the western region, three weeks after the Linda Mwananchi brigade, led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, toured the region.

Three weeks ago, the ODM splinter group held its first-ever Linda Mwananchi tour in Busia County, and two weeks ago, the group conducted another successful rally in Kakamega town, where it insisted on ensuring Ruto is a one-term president and opposed any move by ODM Party Leader Oburu Oginga for premature 2027 coalition talks with Ruto.

Already, the tour has sparked mixed reactions from leaders across the political divide, with one side welcoming the tour and another terming it as populist and political theatrics with nothing substantive to show the people of the region.

The head of state is expected to kick off his tour tomorrow (today), where he will begin in Kakamega by launching the construction of Malaha Modern Market.

Ruto will thereafter proceed to Busia County to launch the Mundere-Mumbaka Sio Port-Nangina road.

On Tuesday, Ruto will visit Khwisero, Malava, and Ikolomani Constituencies, where he will launch various development projects and inspect some of the ongoing projects, including the ongoing construction of Kakamega Gold Refinery Plant, Khwisero Affordable Housing Project, construction of Kakamega Level Six Referral Hospital, Bukhungu Stadium, Lurambi-Navakholo-Musikoma and Malava-Samitsi-Navakholo Roads.

On Wednesday, the head of state will again visit Busia County, where he will launch the construction of Nagina-Matayos Road, inspect the Nangina Affordable Housing Project, and launch the Busia Stadium and Kocholia KMTC hostels.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Ruto will tour Bungoma County to inspect the Namuninge dam project in Bumula, the construction of Matulo Airstrip, and the affordable housing project.

Governors led by Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa, Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka, and Busia Governor Paul Otuoma welcomed the President's visit, stating that a lot of development projects that aim to uplift the lives of the residents of the Western region have been initiated and are ongoing under Ruto’s regime, which guarantees him a second term.

“We have seen the once-stalled projects nearing completion, such as Kakamega Level Six Hospital and Bukhungu Stadium, we have a gold refinery plant in Ikolomani getting completed, and other projects, such as roads, are underway that had been stalled from previous regimes, and as a region, we are convinced that we should give him a second term to finish and initiate more projects,” said Barasa.

However, the visit by the head of state is seen as a move and strategy to counter the gains made by the youthful and new crop of leaders in the region that is threatening to change the established political status quo in the region, considering Sifuna hails from Bungoma County, while Senator Godfrey Osotsi comes from Vihiga County, and Caleb Amis from Trans Nzoia County.

The movement has attracted several MPs from the region to join it, including Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga, Bumula MP Jack Wamnboka, and Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo.

Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi termed the President's tour a political gimmick and not development, adding that the visit is occasioned by the warm reception of the Linda Mwananchi tours in the region.

“He is just coming to launch and relaunch, nothing else; he has nothing to show our people that he has done that is impacting positively on the lives of our people. He has sold all our sugar factories to private investors, in which he is a main shareholder. What has made Ruto come to Western is the Linda Mwananchi effect; he has realised he is losing ground, and he wants to look for a way for his political revival, and we are going to have many meetings in Western to show our people the way,” said Osotsi.