‘I’m not invited’ – governor Ayacko says ahead of Ruto’s Migori visit
By Habil Onyango, March 23, 2023
Migori county governor Ochillo Ayacko says he has not been invited to be part of president William Ruto’s scheduled meetings in Migori.
This is as the clock ticks for the president to land in the county on Saturday, March 25, after touring Nyamira and Kisii.
Speaking to the press in his official residence on Thursday, March 23, 2023, Ayacko termed the visit as non-inclusive saying he has not been formally invited to attend it.
“I want to state clearly that as a governor I have not been formally told, by anybody, about the president’s visit and as a holder of constitutional office it is not possible for me to attend those functions,” he said.
Ayacko however said Ruto is free to visit any part of the country and invite whoever he wants.
“It will be improper to inflict my presence in the meeting because protocol will ensure I know the agenda and sitting arrangements. I don’t want a situation where there can be a fallout which I won’t be responsible for,” Ayacko said.
While Ayacko was speaking, Migori county commissioner Meru Mwangi was meeting renegade ODM MPs Paul Abuor (Rongo) and Mark Nyamita (Uriri) to check on the sites of the visits and make final preparations.
“The commissioner was to brief me over the visit, but he didn’t. The meeting will not have inclusivity,” Ayacko said.
In Migori, Ruto is set to be hosted by two United Democratic Alliance (UDA) legislators; Kuria West MP Mathias Robi and his Kuria East counterpart Marwa Kitayama from the minority Kuria community where the majority of voters voted for him.
He will launch the construction of the Motemorabu-Suba Kuria-Nyangonga-Nyankore-Gitonga-Masaba road in Kuria West and launch the completion of Tarang’anya-Ntimaru-Nyamtiro-Senta-Kegonga-Loliondo road.
Ruto is also expected to be hosted by two ODM legislators Nyamita for the launching of tarmacking of Stella-Gogo Falls-Oyani Ring road and Abuor for launching 21 kilometres Nyarach-Oboke-Rangwe road.
On Azimio la Umoja demos, Ayacko insisted that the ongoing mass action calls will continue until the cost of living is brought down.
“I hope Ruto’s visit will lower the cost of living and bring our people from being captive of poverty. I hope it will also create harmony,” Ayacko said.
The governor said the right to demonstrate is enshrined in the constitution and that if the government feels anybody has broken any law to go to the streets, it is free to charge them in a court of law.
The tension between Pro-Ruto and Pro-Raila leaders has previously played out in several public functions including a funeral in the Uriri constituency where supporters of Nyamita and Ayacko clashed.