President William Ruto has accused his critics of sponsoring political surrogates to undermine his administration because of his push to distribute development projects equitably across the country.
The President maintained his government would not discriminate against any region in allocating development resources, insisting that every part of Kenya deserved its rightful share of national investment.
“There are people who are unhappy with me because I said development projects must reach all corners of the country,” Ruto said.
The Head of State spoke during mass at St Mark’s Catholic Church Likuyani in Kakamega county.
He was accompanied by area MP Innocent Mugabe and Navakholo lawmaker Emmanuel Wangwe.
Ruto said those opposed to his equitable development agenda have resorted to using proxies to frustrate his administration, even as he vowed to press ahead with projects aimed at improving infrastructure and expanding economic opportunities.
“They have sponsored stooges, and we know them. I will deal with the sponsors and their stooges. They have nothing new to offer; we know what they can offer,” he said.
The President billed the 2027 elections as key in ending discrimination and tribalism.
“This 2027 elections will bring all Kenyans together and unite this country,” he said.
Addressing the congregants, Mugabe lauded the President’s development in the region, confessing that some parts of Western are getting their first tarmac road.
“You have brought equity in Kenya. If it were not for your leadership, all the roads across the country would have stalled,” Mugambe said.
Ruto spoke as he returned to the North Rift, his political stronghold, for an extensive development tour expected to take him through six counties ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The President is on an extensive development tour as he inspects ongoing projects, commissions new facilities and presides over the issuance of thousands of title deeds.
The tour will take him through Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot and Baringo counties, with roads, affordable housing, markets, hospitals, technical training institutions and electricity connectivity featuring prominently on his itinerary.
The 11-day programme, coming after extensive tours of Nyanza, Coast, and South Rift, will culminate in this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret on October 20.
The development tour started on Saturday in Endebess, Trans Nzoia county, where he inspected the Endebess-Matumbei road and the mother and child unit at Endebess Subcounty Hospital.
The trip resumes on Monday, with engagements in Nandi and Uasin Gishu counties, including the commissioning of Maraba Market in Tinderet, inspection of Meteitei Hospital and roads, and the commissioning of the Kenya School of TVET's Moiben campus.
He will also commission Ziwa Dam 2 and the Sirikwa-Ziwa Machine road before inspecting Siwa Level 5 Hospital in Soy constituency.
On Tuesday, Ruto will tour Elgeyo Marakwet and Baringo counties, beginning in Kabyego, Marakwet East, where he is scheduled to break ground for a water project and Kerio Valley KMTC student hostels, lay the foundation stone for an economic stimulus programme market and commission the Kipkuldul-Kapyego-Kamalei road.
He will then head to Kinyach in Baringo North for the groundbreaking of the Kipsaraman-Kinyach road before proceeding to Churo, where he is scheduled to inspect the local teachers college.
The President will later visit Chebara in Marakwet West, where his itinerary includes inspections of Chebara Boys High School, AIC Chegara Girls High School, Chebara Primary School, Kaptomut Primary School, Chebara Polytechnic and the Chebara Secondary School chapel.
On Wednesday, the tour will move to West Pokot, where Ruto is expected to launch the Konyao-Kiwawa-Alale road in Konyao, Kacheliba constituency, and inspect the Kapsait-Kapsangar-Tapach-Sondany road in Tapach, Pokot South.
He will then proceed to Trans Nzoia, where he is scheduled to inspect the Sibanga economic stimulus programme market and the Mwaita-Bwage-Makutano-Kapsara-Kobos road.
The day's engagements will end in Kiminini constituency, where the President is expected to launch the Kiminini-Mitoto-Ndalu-Brigadier road, inspect the Kiminini modern market and commission Kiminini Comprehensive School, a project funded through the National Government Constituencies Development Fund.
On Thursday, Ruto will be in Chepkorio, Keiyo South constituency, Elgeyo Marakwet county, where he is scheduled to launch the Timboroa-Seguton-Moringwo-Poror-Magrib-Sirwa-Lawina Ochi road, inspect an affordable housing project and visit an economic stimulus programme market.
The tour will proceed to Eldama Ravine in Baringo county, where Ruto is expected to launch the Poror-Sirwa-Oshid road at Sirwa, and commission KMTC classrooms.
On Friday, Ruto will begin his engagements in Sigor, West Pokot county, where he is scheduled to inspect the Kopach River-Lomut-Sigor-Marich Pass road and the Sigor economic stimulus programme market.
Ruto will then visit Kwanza to inspect student hostels at Kwanza Vocational Training Centre before proceeding to Kitale, where he is scheduled to inspect the Maili Tatu affordable housing project and lay the foundation stone for student hostels at Kitale National Polytechnic.
On Saturday, October 17, the President will tour Nandi and Uasin Gishu counties.
On Sunday, October 18, Ruto will cross to Kapsabet, Nandi county, where he is scheduled to commission ACK Plaza and attend a church service.
Monday, October 19, has been set aside for meetings at Eldoret State Lodge ahead of the national celebrations.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The tour comes after a series of presidential engagements in different parts of the country over the past month, during which he has used project launches and public rallies to defend his administration's development record.
