President William Ruto has dispatched his deputy Kithure Kindiki to join governors from the Mt Kenya region to mobilise support ahead of his weeklong visit.

Sources aware of the ongoing political manoeuvres reveal that Ruto has tasked Kindiki with engaging governors and local leaders to identify key projects, which the president will launch. They are also tasked with ensuring the ground is well-prepared to avoid hostile reception when he begins his tour.

The current mobilisation, the sources say, is to deal with the growing discontent and accusations of betrayal from residents of the region, who overwhelmingly supported Ruto in the 2022 election.

Further, the sources disclose that Ruto is keen to prove to the region that his visit is not a mere political exercise after his fallout with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, but a conscious effort aimed at fulfilling his promises.

 “The president is keen on ensuring he fulfils his pre-election promises. He is visiting Mt Kenya region to pass the message that he is still with the residents and has nothing to do with politics,” said the source who did not want to be named.

His tour of the region is the first since Gachagua was impeached as Deputy President in October last year, triggering a wave of discontent from the region.

Final touches

The visit also comes hot on the heels of his sacking of Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi. In his place, he nominated Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku who is from Muturi’s Democratic Party (DP) to replace him and appease the Mt Kenya voting bloc.

Ruto has on two occasions this month hosted governors and MPs in separate events at State House, while on Monday, he held another meeting with at least five Cabinet Secretaries and 13 Principal Secretaries from the region to finalise preparations.

A record eight governors attended the State House meeting, except Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, who is a close ally of Gachagua and Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika who sent an apology as she is away on maternity leave.

In Mbeere North, Kindiki made an unexpected visit to the Sh258 million Kanyuambora Irrigation where he officially announced the appointment of Ruku as a CS.

In Mathioya constituency, he made an impromptu inspection of Gikoe ESP Market, which he said will be ready for occupation by traders in five weeks as it is 80 per cent complete.

Kindiki explained that Ruto’s tour is to commission, inspect and launch development projects and that his tour is not a political exercise.

“We must not allow selfish and parochial interests to isolate Mt. Kenya region from other regions of the country,” he said, even promising that the government is making all efforts to save Margaret Nduta, a Kenyan from Murang’a County, who is facing the death row in Vietnam.

Tentative programme

As Kindiki prepares the ground for his visit, a schedule of his programme although not officially released, as seen by People Daily, shows that on Tuesday, Ruto will visit Laikipia County where he will inspect various development projects in Rumuruti before commissioning the Gikamba last mile electrification programme in Kieni constituency that afternoon. On Wednesday, he will tour Meru County where he will commission Nkuene substation and flag off several projects.

On Thursday, he will pitch camp in Nyandarua County and later in the afternoon crossover to Murang’a county. On Friday, he will tour Tharaka Nithi to commission last mile electrification programmes in Mitheru while in the afternoon he will visit Embu County and flag off AFD/EU/EIB projects.

On Saturday, he will tour Nyeri County which is Gachagua’s backyard where he will flag off AFD/EU/EIB projects and later in the afternoon, he will tour Kiambu County.