A man is seen perched on a wheelbarrow as President William Ruto addressed residents of Konyao in Kacheliba constituency, West Pokot on Wednesday, October 14 /PCSA man perched on a wheelbarrow hoisted several metres above the ground stole the show during President William Ruto's development tour of West Pokot county on Wednesday, adding an unusual spectacle to an otherwise serious political rally.
The supporter remained seated on the wheelbarrow, mounted on a single metal rod, as Ruto addressed residents of Konyao in Kacheliba constituency, where he announced the launch of several road projects.
The man, an unmistakable sight above the crowd, flashed the two-finger UDA re-election salute while blowing a vuvuzela in a show of support for the President.
The wheelbarrow is the symbol of Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, making the elevated display an unmistakable expression of political allegiance.
But beyond the spectacle, the rally centred on development pledges, with Ruto announcing a Sh21 billion allocation for road construction across the county.
"We have given you Sh21 billion for road construction in West Pokot county because we want equity and development across every part of Kenya," he said, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
Ruto also promised increased access to electricity through the last-mile rural electrification programme, saying the government had set aside Sh1 billion to connect homes in Kacheliba.
"Because Kacheliba lagged behind for many days, we have given you Sh1 billion to connect electricity to your homes," he said, describing it as the largest allocation for electricity connections to a single constituency.
He said Kacheliba had been neglected and marginalised for years, adding that residents should no longer be left without electricity.
"I have come here because your homes do not have electricity. There's nothing you did for your houses not to be without electricity. We must make plans to give you electricity," he said.
Outlining his broader development agenda for the region, Ruto said the National Infrastructure Fund would help transform arid and semi-arid areas such as West Pokot through the construction of dams to provide water for irrigation, domestic use and livestock farming.
"This is the inclusive development we envision for every part of our country," he said, as he criticised the opposition for what he described as empty rhetoric and political noise.
