After shying away from visiting Mt Kenya region since the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, President William Ruto is expected to test his political influence against that of his former deputy in his political visit cum development tour set to start next week.
The Head of State, who had uncharacteristically avoided the voter-rich basket region like a plague, is expected to visit Nyandarua, Nyeri, Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties where he is expected to launch development projects even as he seeks to set the records straight that he was in any fight with the region.
Ruto allies in the region have confirmed his visit and have already started mobilizing their supporters to welcome the President, pleading with residents not to heckle him as he unveils goodies that will positively impact the region.
Nyandarua Women Representative Faith Gitau while urging her supporters to come out in large numbers to welcome the President, said his visit was crucial in unlocking the stalled projects saying the region ‘will never be the same again after Ruto’s visit.’
“He (the President) will be bringing us development, our people should come out in large numbers and welcome him and not heckle him,” she said while dismissing claims that the region would be affected by the purge at the National Assembly and in the Senate that saw several Mt Kenya leaders removed in the committees’ leadership.
United Democratic Alliance (UDA) National Executive Council (NEC) Member Kiruga Thuku who also doubles up as Chinga MCA said the region was looking forward to Ruto’s visit even as he denied claims that the region was hostile to the President.
He said Ruto’s visit to the region would deal a political blow to a section of the leaders who have been claiming that the region had divorced the President.
“I have heard the President say about five times that Mt Kenya region is second after God. He has told us not once or twice that after he gives thanks to God, Mt Kenya is second to him for making him President and he will use the tour to reassure the region that he is not in fight with us,” said Kiruga.
Kiruga said even if it would cost Ruto allies their seat in 2027, they would continue supporting him to realize his development agenda and not follow Gachagua blindly.
“For some of us, we shall support Ruto and his government fully and allow him to implement his agenda and leave the voters to choose whether to elect their leaders based on development or pure rhetoric,” said Kiruga.
Ruto’s scheduled visit to the restive region comes at the time when he solemnized his political marriage with his former political nemesis turned friend, Raila Odinga.
The visit also coincides with the purge that saw Gachagua’s allies removed from the powerful committees of both The Senate and the National Assembly with analysts saying the visit may be an avenue to manage the fury by the electorate that gave him over three million votes in the 2022 General Election.
The last time the President visited the region was in November 16 last year where it was not a bed of roses as he received a cold reception from the congregants in Embu during the episcopal ordination and installation of Bishop Peter Kimani Ndung’u in Embu County where he shared a podium with Gachagua, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
What followed after the Embu incident was a hard time for Ruto’s allied MPS and government officials camping in Mt Kenya region either to inspect government projects or attending social gatherings like the funeral where they were booed and stopped presenting President Ruto‘s condolences messages to the bereaved families.
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Some of the casualties included President Ruto’s economic advisor Moses Kuria who was booed and stopped for delivering a speech at a burial in Muranga.
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika was also heckled as she tried to read Ruto’s condolence message at a burial in Nakuru and Public Service Cs Justin Muturi on Friday was stopped by mourners in Embu from reading out Ruto’s message to the family of Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti after the loss of their son Eric Mutugi.
In efforts to regain his dwindling political influence, the President appointed three Cabinet Secretaries from Mt Kenya who included Mutahi Kagwe (Agriculture) William Kabogo (ICT) and Lee Kinyanjui (Trade) after his meeting with Uhuru in December 9 at his Ichaweri home in Kiambu.
But despite the initiatives, Gachagua has continued cementing the anti-Ruto campaign in the region accusing him of isolating the region from the rest of the communities, continually describing UDA as the most retrogressive party in the country’s history of political parties.
UDA party, perhaps informed by the political situation, omitted Mt Kenya region in the second phase of grassroots elections that are scheduled to be held in 22 countries on April 11 and 12 this year.
According to UDA’s National Elections Board chairperson Antony Mwaura, the elections will be held in Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Kajiado, Turkana, Kisii, Nyamira, Bungoma, Migori, Siaya and Kisumu counties and shall continue the following day in Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Isiolo, Taita Taveta, Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Lamu and Tana River counties.
“The National Elections Board of the United Democratic Alliance hereby issues an official notice regarding the phase two polling centre-level grassroots elections scheduled for April 11 and 12, 2025,” Mwaura said.
Initially, Ruto’s party had lined Nyandarua, Tharaka Nithi, Kiambu, Embu, Meru, Murang’a, Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Laikipia for the second phase of the exercise, which was to take place last year.
Gachagua allies have poured cold water on Ruto’s visit claiming it will be counterproductive since ‘his actions have proved he was not interested in the region.’
“If you look at the ongoing Parliamentary purge, the casualties are from Mt Kenya. The looming purge in Cabinet, the casualties will be from Mt Kenya. Ruto has decided that no upcoming leader from Mt Kenya region will be allowed to grow or hone his or her leadership skills. That is why Rigathi Gachagua is no longer there, Ndindi Nyoro is no longer in the position he held, that is why Mithika Linturi was fired from Cabinet,” he said.
