Kakamega County Senator Boni Khalwale has urged President William Ruto to shift the development agenda from the Mt Kenya region to the western part of Kenya.

Speaking in Lugusi village in Malava constituency, Kakamega County, on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, during the burial of MP Malulu Injendi, Khalwale argued that the Western region has been sidelined for almost 60 years.

According to Khalwale, the country’s development model is skewed away from the Western region.

He further argued that it will not be politics when Ruto shifts the development agenda from the Central region that he says has everything to the Mulembe nation, which, according to him, has been sidelined.

“For over 60 years, the development model of Kenya has been skewed away from the Western region. As you improve your politics and strengthen them, make my politics easy by making sure that you swing the development agenda ikuje Western Kenya so that itoke Central Province, where they have everything. Your Excellency, if you do this, it will not be politics. It will be because you want to open the economy of Kenya,” Khalwale said.

Khalwale on economy

Khalwale went ahead to tell the head of state that he should open the country’s economy by dualing the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit-Webuye-Malaba Road.

By doing so, Khalwale argues that the economy of Kenya would open in a manner that all Kenyans will be left happy.

“Opening the economy of Kenya, you have got one straight bullet. Dual the road ikuwe barabara mbili kutoka Nairobi mpaka Nakuru, mpaka Mau Summit, mpaka Kaburengu, mpaka Webuye, mpaka Malaba. The economy of Kenya is going to open in a manner that all Kenyans are going to be happy,” Khalwale said.

MP Wanyama’s take

Khalwale’s remarks come barely a month after Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama urged President Ruto to shift focus on the Western Kenya region following the growing rebellion in the Mt Kenya region.

Speaking on Sunday, January 19, 2025, during the Interdenominational Prayers held at Cheptais Boys’ High School in Bungoma County, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) lawmaker stated that the president should stop climbing the already slippery mountain and explore Mt. Elgon in the western region, which he says is more stable.

Wanyama argued that the recent merger of Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC) and Ruto’s UDA is a move that will teach the larger Mt. Kenya region a lesson over what he termed as continued entitlement.

According to Wanyama, locking the Western region block will help President Ruto win a re-election easily without the support of Mt. Kenya.

He further faulted former President Uhuru Kenyatta in what he termed an effort to discredit Ruto’s regime, following his recent remarks in which he urged the Gen Zs to stand up and continue to fight for their rights.

“Kenya hii iko na makabila zaidi ya arubaini na mbili, lakini hatutakubali, and we are not going to accept for one tribe to think that they have a birth right to be at State House. Wanapoingia State House tunawapatia amani wanamaliza muhula wao, lakini kabila ingine ikiingia pale kazi yao ni kuchokora hata kama mambo yanaenda sawa. Rais mstaafu aliafanya kazi yake akamaliza, it cannot be business as usual. Ukishastaafu kaa nyumbani uone vitu zikiundwa.

“Hiyo mlima imeteleza na itateleza milele, na sisi tuko hapa na mlima ambayo ni imara. Na niombe wakubwa wangu ambao wako mebele yetu, ile Musalia Mudavadi amefanya ndo itakuwa kiboko ya hawa watu. Sisi wote tukiungana mahala moja nawaambia we will isolate them and it will be us against them, na mimi sina uoga kusema hiyo kwa sababu enough is enough,” Wanyamma stated.