Mixed reactions as Farouk Kibet forays intensify in Western
By John Shilitsa, June 30, 2025President William Ruto’s close aide and ally Farouk Kibet has stepped up his Western region whirlwind tours.
A powerful insider within the presidency, Kibet has been traversing the expansive region surrounded by ODM, Ford Kenya and defunct Amani National Congress (ANC) legislators and party officials.
So far, he has toured Vihiga, Kakamega, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties and presided over fundraising events in aid of churches and various groups, including the boda boda riders, women and youths.
For the umpteenth time, Kibet led Ruto’s troops to Lurambi in Kakamega County on June 29, 2025, where he presided over a fund drive in aid of cornerstone churches.
On Saturday, he helped raise Ksh9 million in support of a boda boda riders group at Matsakha in Malava constituency. President Ruto contributed Ksh3 million.
The energy, thrill and obsession exhibited by Kibet during his increasing tours are talk of the town, with some locals questioning the timing and intention of the visits in the absence of the region’s political stalwarts, led by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula, Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya and DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa.
A section of locals interviewed believe Kibet could be on a political mission in the region.
Right-hand man
“Chinua Achebe once said a toad does not run in the daytime for nothing. Kibet is Ruto’s right-hand man, and he must be on a strategic mission in the region,” said Kevin Olengo, a former MCA and a resident of Matungu.
“He is a trusted ally and emissary of the president, he is doing almost exactly what Ruto used to do during the former regime, he (Ruto) made numerous trips in Western, the effort bore some fruits,” says Olengo.
Local politicians have christened Kibet, a true friend of western, son-in-law and a philanthropist. While presiding over a fund drive in aid of women’s groups in South Kabras ward about one month ago, he was nicknamed Akhonya (generous).
Governor Kenneth Lusaka (Bungoma) is among leaders who believe Kibet’s obsession with the region shows the president’s love for Western. The dalliance, according to the county boss, could pave the way for the region to produce a president in 2032 after Ruto’s two terms in office.
“After Ruto has served his two terms, in 203,2 one of our own would succeed him, if you scratch someone’s back, he should be kind enough to scratch yours,” said Lusaka in reference to the 2027 and 2032 General Elections.
Lusaka argues that the people of Malava and by extension Western ought to stay put in government and back President Ruto to reap benefits and keep their dreams of ascending to power real.
Lusaka disclosed that the Malava by-election would be a litmus test for Ruto in Western, urging voters to elect a candidate fronted by the government.
Parliamentary caucus
UDA Deputy Secretary General Omboko Milemba, Western Parliamentary Caucus chairman John Waluke and some legislators from the region echo the sentiment.
Milemba suggests that it would be easier for Ruto to pass the baton to Western in 2032.
“The region has never been too close to power since independence, like it is today, and we never chose Ruto as a neighbour; God chose him for us.”
Waluke (Sirisia) has once again told Oparanya, Wamalwa, Mudavadi and Wetang’ula to agree on whom to front in 2032 after Ruto’s second and final term.
“We would like to see the white smoke now, the region must put its votes in one basket in 2027 and prepare to take over the mantle, it would be easy because we are not far from the presidency,” argues Waluke.
He is of the view that emerging leaders, including Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, ought to hold their horses and support whoever will be fronted by the region.
Waluke says Western has become a laughing stock for many years.
“It cannot be the same story, yet we have the highest population. We continue to smell the aroma as others continue to eat; we must register as voters and cast our ballots in favour of Ruto in 2027.”
According to him, the presidency could be rotational, with Western likely to clinch the seat for the first time since independence.
“Jomo Kenyatta ruled for 15 years from 1964, then came Daniel Arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto, who is ready to pass the mantle to Western in 2032. We must remain in government because the opposition has nothing to offer,” argues Waluke.
Ikolomani MP Benard Shinali agrees that Kibet, a man loved and loathed in equal measure, is Ruto’s special emissary in the region. “When you see Farouk here, the president is just around the corner; he is here to clear the way for him (Ruto). Do you want him to keep on visiting? We should support the president,” Shinali told Malava residents.
The people of Malava must vote for a UDA candidate in the anticipated by-election if they want to see their roads, specifically the Malava–Samitsi–Navakholo road, upgraded to bitumen, according to Shinali.
Kimili MP Didmus Barasa insists that Western must remain in government and back the president unflinchingly.
The leaders’ remarks are perhaps a stark reminder of Kibeti’s and President Ruto’s game plan in the sharply divided Western region. Buoyed by the full backing of the caucus, Kibet has switched to a campaign-like mode designed to popularise UDA and bring together like-minded Western leaders.
He has been spinning a narrative that Western stand a better chance of producing Ruto’s successor in 2032.
“You have Mudavadi and Wetang’ula, after President Ruto, you must take over the reins, but you should not forget me when that time comes,” Kibet said at Matsakha.
“I have come here so that we can walk together. Are you happy with the progress? Munasema twende mbele ama twende nyuma (do you want us to move forward or backwards)?” posed Kibet.
Enumerating projects
He has also been enumerating numerous projects the government has undertaken or plans to initiate in the region. Some of the projects earmarked by the government in Kakamega include establishing a Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) at Malava, upgrading of Malava-Samitsi-Navakholo road to bitumen and construction of a Ksh60 million market at Kambi ya Mwanza, among others.
“I will personally push for the KMTC project, as for the road, a contractor is being sought and the president will come to launch it in person,” Kibet told Malava constituents.
On July 4, Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi will launch the last-mile electricity connection project in Malava.
“We want widows and poor families to benefit, not just the rich,” said Kibet.
Besides working with the legislators, Kibet is striving to have MCAs, chiefs and assistant chiefs in his fold as he crisscrosses the region.
In Malava, he was categorical that chiefs and MCAs must be respected because they were serving the people in the absence of a sitting MP. In fact, the local administrators managed to contribute Ksh100,000 towards supporting boda boda riders at Matsakha.
Delivering the Malava parliamentary seat could be one of Kibet’s assignments in Western, going by the countless trips he has made in the constituency since Malulu died.
But why would Ruto entrust Western to Kibet as opposed to unleashing Mudavadi, Wetang’ula or even Oparanya to mobilize the region and ensure UDA retains the Malava parliamentary seat?
Political analyst –cum-lawyer Martin Oloo argues that the region is yet to witness witty leaders capable of mobilising and galvanising the region the way the late Masinde Muliro, Martin Shikuku, Moses Mudamba and Elijah Mwangale would do years ago.
Kingpins
“Gone are the days when the Western region used to have kingpins, the likes of Muliro, Mudamba, Mwangale and Shikuku who would speak and be heard across the region,” explains Oloo.
But there are those leaders, including former Vice President Moody Awori, who may not have been the kingpin.
“Kijana Wamalwa, in his own ways, was able to bring all Western people together in the Narc. We are yet to see anybody who can galvanise western the way Wamalwa did. What we have now are pieces – particles that have been broken from the political clay, and this clay isn’t serving western people, it is serving some interests, but certainly it is not helping the region, so to speak. There are many reasons why one has to find that unity without a purpose could see the region remain disenfranchised, it will remain in pieces and politically voiceless,” argues Oloo.
According to him, Western Kenya is a basket for political guests due to divergence and non-uniformity of opinion and “perhaps political positioning is a pure style of weakness for the region rather than strength for Western.”
“From Governor George Natembeya in Trans Nzoia, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega and Vihiga, you can see different scripts being played, whereas Natembeya is trying to mobilise western, Governor Ken Lusaka is busy consolidating and taking the region to his friends, while Governor Paul Otuoma is somewhere in between. We don’t know where Vihiga and Kakamega are, so definitely we are on our own; there is nothing like a political machine that can be created around Western,” adds Oloo.
The lawyer believes former Senator Cleophas Malala and other youthful leaders from the region could offer an alternative voice and way of thinking.
Malala and Wamalwa have been trying to ring fence Western to stop President Ruto’s UDA from infiltrating the region. The duo wants the region to unite and chart its own political course.