Wetang’ula defends Ruto, rallies Luhyas to back his re-election

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has defended President William Ruto against claims he has sidelined the Luhya community in state appointments.

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Speaking during the funeral service at Binusu village in Sirisia, Bungoma County, on Friday, Wetang’ula said the western region has significant representation at senior levels of the Kenya Kwanza government.

He accused President Ruto’s critics of deliberately ignoring clear evidence of the western region’s footprint in government.

Wetang’ula said Ruto had appointed Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, seven principal secretaries, and several other senior officials from the region, surpassing appointments made by previous administrations.

He said the president had appointed more leaders from western Kenya despite the region failing to deliver the 70 per cent vote it was expected to secure in exchange for 30 per cent of government positions, as agreed in a pre-election deal.

“Vihiga gave 35 per cent, Busia 10 per cent, Kakamega 12 per cent and Trans Nzoia 45 per cent. Despite these low figures, the President still accommodated the community generously in his administration,” Wetang’ula said.

“I do not know what critics of the 30 per cent deal are complaining about,” he added.

Wetang’ula rallied the Luhya community to support Ruto’s re-election bid in 2027, saying the region has already benefited significantly from his leadership and stands to gain even more in a second term.

“The Mulembe nation has every reason to support Ruto. This government has shown goodwill to our people, and we must reciprocate by standing with it politically,” he said.

Wetang’ula said cooperation among leaders from western, under the Western Kenya MPs Caucus, has strengthened the community’s bargaining power. The caucus, chaired by Sirisia MP John Waluke, brings together 53 MPs drawn from within and outside the region.

“These MPs have set aside party differences to focus on development in the interest of our people. As their patron, I will support them to ensure the President gets more votes here than he did in the last election,” he said.

Wetang’ula assured residents that he would personally engage Waluke and relevant government agencies to ensure the Mayanja–Busunu–Sirisia Road, launched by President Ruto last year, is completed before the 2027 elections.

He also encouraged farmers in the region to diversify from sugarcane and embrace coffee farming, saying recent government reforms have made the crop highly profitable. He noted that coffee prices have risen from Sh35 per kilogramme to as high as Sh161.

As evidence of the sector’s revival, he said Tongaren MP Dr John Chikati had earned Sh64 million from coffee farming, making him one of the top beneficiaries in the region.

At the same time, the Speaker expressed outrage over the theft of Sh25 million belonging to the Nakayonjo Coffee Cooperative Society, money meant for farmers. He questioned why no arrests had been made, terming the incident an “inside job” and calling for swift action from security agencies.

“It is suspicious that such a large sum of money could be withdrawn without proper security arrangements. Those responsible must be held accountable,” he said.