Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Eric Juma and Baraka Karama

President Uhuru Kenyatta was yesterday given a red-carpet welcome in Opposition chief Raila Odinga’s home turf where he launched what was dubbed “Handshake projects” ahead of Madaraka Day celebrations tomorrow.

 It was a rare moment for some of the jubilant residents, who were hosting the President for the first time.

Raila, who is working with President Uhuru, seized every opportunity to stake the projects to their 2018 Handshake deal and his role during the Grand Coalition government in which he served as Prime Minister under retired President Mwai Kibaki. 

Raila, Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o and Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju received the President, who landed at the Kisumu International Airport at 3pm.

The President later held a meeting with both Raila and Nyong’o before boarding an Air Force chopper to Siaya where he commissioned the water and sanitation project in Ndanu, Yala. 

Hundreds of residents at Wagai cheered as the President’s convoy snaked through the murram road to commission the water projects.

Chants of “Handshake ber” (Handshake is good) thronged the air as the residents jostled for space to catch a glimpse of Uhuru.

“We are one people and we should live together and enjoy the fruits of government irrespective of where we come from.

I believe these projects will go a long way in changing the lives of our people,” said President Uhuru.

He added: “We want to have a country where each one of you is proud of and can stand and count the benefits he has achieved in government that is meant to serve him.”

Raila accused the past governments of neglecting the region because of its political leaning.

“For many years, the government was hostile to the people of Nyanza as they were perceived to be in opposition and that was why no meaningful development took place in the region.

But now Handshake goodies are transforming the region. That is why you are seeing improved infrastructure across Nyanza,” said Raila.

Opposition stronghold

The water project was financed by African Development Bank and Government of Kenya under Small Towns Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project at a cost of Sh2.4 billion.

The project targets Siaya, Bondo and Yala towns. The Head of State later commissioned the Sh277 million Last Mile connectivity project and the Sh1.4 billion Kodiaga-Nyangweso-Wagai-Onyinyore-Akala road. 

Luo Nyanza has been an opposition stronghold since the 1992 General Election with its leaders often in friction with sitting governments.

Other leaders at the function included Siaya Senator James Orengo and MPs Jared Okello (Nyando) Millie Odhiambo (Suba), Shakeel Shabir (Kisumu East), Elisha Odhiambo (Gem) and James Nyikal (Seme). 

“History has been made in Gem by this special visit that could not have been possible if it were not for Handshake,” said Odhiambo. 

Okello on the other hand said: “We truly appreciate what the good cooperation between the two leaders has brought to us within a very short period of time.”  Orengo also credited the development to the Uhuru-Raila cooperation.

“We now believe that it is because of Raila’s position as the PM in the coalition government that Nyanza is realising development,” he said.

He noted Nyanza had suffered under-development for nearly five decades.

“We do not take it for granted because it is not the first time he (Uhuru) is visiting the region.

We can only reciprocate by supporting his agenda and our party leader,” said Millie.

The President was making his second visit to Siaya after he first attended the sixth graduation ceremony at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology in 2019.

CS James Macharia, Nyanza Regional Commissioner Magu Mutundika and Siaya Deputy Governor James Okumbe welcomed President Uhuru at the Yala function.  

But Deputy President William Ruto’s allies from the region were quick to dismiss the President’s overtures.

“History is awash with examples where previous presidential visits to the region have been utilised to hoodwink the people through artificial and cosmetic political pronouncements aimed at realising short-term political expediency,” said former Raila aide, Eliud Owalo, who is one of Ruto’s strategists.

Special invite

According to Owalo, development challenges facing the Luo-Nyanza region were already well-known, documented and only required implementation.

“What I expect the President to do during his visit to Luo-Nyanza this time round is to outline a clear implementation matrix for the desirable development and revitalisation programmes in the key thematic areas of sugarcane, fishing, cotton, tourism and infrastructure,” said Owalo in a statement.

“Anything short of this will be tantamount to nothing but political gimmicks and a drop in the ocean,” he added.

The President was set to open the refurbished Uhuru market but the event was cancelled over bad weather.

President Uhuru said the Yala water project will also serve five satellite centres at Nyangweso, Wagai, Ng’iya, Nyagondo and Kogelo.

“There will be reliable water supply in Siaya town and it will serve a population of more than 80,000 people in a day,” he said.

The project involved the rehabilitation of the water intake in River Yala that served the Sidindi-Malanga water line.