Inside President Ruto's five-day tour of Mt Kenya
Ruto will return to Central Kenya counties for the first time since the impeachment of his former deputy Rigathi Gachagua
President William Ruto is gearing up for a busy five-day tour of Mt Kenya starting Tuesday, April 1, where he will visit nine counties.
Ruto will return to Central Kenya counties for the first time since the impeachment of his former deputy Rigathi Gachagua. His last visit was in August 2024.
He is expected to commission completed projects, inspect ongoing ones, and launch new initiatives aimed at boosting infrastructure, industrialisation and economic development in the region.
During the tour, Ruto will oversee the issuance of title deeds in Kieni (Nyeri) and Tigania West (Meru). He will also inspect the ongoing construction of County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPS) in Laikipia West and Githunguri (Kiambu) and a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Maragua (Murang’a).
“The national government and counties are working together to construct 47 CAIPS, one in each county, at a cost of Sh500 million each. Both levels of government are sharing the cost to provide the necessary space and infrastructure for investors in manufacturing and agricultural value addition,” a statement from State House read.
The Special Economic Zones, which serve a similar purpose at a larger scale, include sectors such as pharmaceuticals. The government is currently constructing six new SEZs in Dongo Kundu (Mombasa), Sagana (Kirinyaga), Thika (Kiambu), Naivasha (Nakuru), Eldoret (Uasin Gishu), and Nasewa (Busia).
During his visit, the President will also inspect water, sanitation and sewerage projects in Igembe South (Meru), Maragua (Murang’a), and Mbeere North (Embu). He is also scheduled to visit livestock feedlots in Tigania West and South Imenti (Meru) to boost the livestock value chain and enhance meat, hide, and skin production for export to the European Union and Middle East markets.
Another key project on the itinerary is the incomplete JM Memorial Hospital in Ol Kalou (Nyandarua), which the National Government, in partnership with the county government, plans to complete. This will make it the only Level 5 hospital in the county.
In Tharaka-Nithi, Ruto will commission new police housing in Chuka Igambang’ombe and inspect student hostels at Tharaka University. He will also assess the progress of the Kiambere Bulk Water Project in Mbeere South Constituency (Embu) and visit the ongoing Mau Mau Road construction in Lari Constituency (Kiambu).
Mau Mau roads, which traverse the Aberdare and Mt Kenya forests in Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyandarua, and Nyeri counties, recently received a budget allocation of Sh5 billion for their development.
Housing projects
The President will also visit affordable housing projects in Laikipia East, Ol Kalou, Kinangop (Nyandarua), Kandara, Maragua (Murang’a), Chuka Igambang’ombe (Tharaka-Nithi), and Nyeri Town. Additionally, he will inspect modern fresh produce markets in various stages of completion in Kieni (Nyeri), Laikipia East, Igembe South, Tigania East (Meru), Kirinyaga Central, Kinangop (Nyandarua) and Chuka Igambang’ombe (Tharaka-Nithi), among others.
“To boost economic activities and improve market access, nearly 500 fresh produce markets are being constructed nationwide,” the statement added.
Ruto will also launch several Last Mile Electricity Connectivity projects in Laikipia West, Kieni (Nyeri), South Imenti (Meru), Kirinyaga Central, Ol Kalou (Nyandarua), and Manyatta (Embu) to enhance rural electrification.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has cautioned the Mt Kenya region to be wary of President Ruto’s tactics of splashing large sums of money during his visit.
Speaking in Naivasha on Saturday, the former DP claimed that the president would spare no expense to appease the vote-rich region in an attempt to restore public trust in his regime.
“Don’t worry. Get ready, money is coming in bags. Take it, but don’t go home with it; it is cursed. Eat that money at the market. Do not mix it with the money you already have. If you have a loan with a shylock, use that money to pay it off,” he said.
Gachagua also urged Mt Kenya residents to demand a hefty price as part of the government’s mobilisation efforts to ensure the president is accorded a warm reception.
“If you are going to listen to lies, ask for a hefty price because lies are a bad thing. Don’t accept Sh200, listening to lies starts from Sh3,000. Women ululating is worth Sh10,000 and clapping is Sh2,000. Laughing is Sh5,000,” he said.
“All that needs around Sh20,000 to Sh30,000. President Ruto, get your finances in order and bring the money we elected you for free.”
For two years, Gachagua was viewed as holding Mt Kenya’s leadership mantle as its senior-most elected leader. Since his impeachment, he and his allies have mounted an offensive against the Kenya Kwanza administration, portraying a picture of national woes.
Ruto’s upcoming Mt Kenya tour, following a six-month absence, will mark his first visit since Gachagua’s impeachment. The tour will begin on April 1 in Laikipia and Nyeri Counties and conclude in Tharaka Nithi County on April 4.
In anticipation of Ruto’s visit, Mt Kenya leaders allied to the broad-based government have been dispatched to mobilise the region for a hearty welcome.
Cognisant of the region’s electoral significance, the head of state is expected to make significant overtures to win back support. During the 2022 elections, Ruto secured 3.5 million out of 7.1 million votes from Mt Kenya.
Meanwhile, Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) Board Chair Irungu Nyakera has urged the residents to prioritise development over politics during the president’s tour.
“History has taught us harsh lessons. When Mzee Jomo Kenyatta visited Kisumu with Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and was received with hostility, development in that region came to a halt for decades,” he said.
“Similarly, in President Uhuru’s final term, Mt Kenya suffered because we allowed politics to override cooperation and watched development bypass us.”
Nyakera reminded residents to remain focused on development, highlighting that the initiatives originate from the Presidential office.
“In the last election, Mt Kenya voted for development, and as we all know, development comes through the Office of the President. When he visits next week, let our focus be on that development—not on the politics,” he said.
The KICC Chairperson expressed regret that he would not be able to attend the tour due to his studies at Oxford University in the UK but reaffirmed his support for the visit.
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