President William Ruto has landed in Homa Bay county to begin his two-day working tour of the Luo Nyanza counties.

The Head of State, who was accompanied by his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, touched down at Homa Bay Airstrip on Friday afternoon and was accorded a warm reception by the local leadership led by Governor Gladys Wanga.

Cabinet Secretaries Eliud Owalo (ICT), Ezekiel Machogu (Education), Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo and members of the opposition including ODM party Chairman John Badi and Homa Bay Senator Moses were also present to receive the Kenya Kwanza leaders.

The President is set to preside over the groundbreaking of the first phase of the Homabay Affordable Housing Program as well as commission the Homa Bay Town Municipal Market.

He is also expected to tour Kisumu and Siaya counties.

Yesterday, Governor Wanga welcomed the President to Homa Bay, saying the visit “could not have come at a better time” and urged local leaders and residents to give the Head of State a befitting reception as they engage him in matters development.

“As the first county to have entered into an MOU with National Housing Corporation on affordable housing, we are esctatic to welcome the President to preside over the groundbreaking of the first phase of the Homabay Affordable Housing Program,” Wanga said.

“The President will also officially commission the Homabay Town Municipal Market, which has been a revelation in the economic transformation of Homabay town,” she said.

“Further, the President will inspect the ongoing efforts of revitalization the blue economy and the lakefront regeneration by visiting the Homabay Pier and the fish market as well as the Non-motorized walkway from the junction Kodoyo to the Pier.”

Former Homa Bay gubernatorial candidate Evans Kidero also welcomed Ruto and his delegation to Homa Bay, saying the tour is a “clear demonstration of his love and affection” for the residents and his desire to incorporate locals into his government.

He said the residents, who overwhelmingly voted for Ruto’s main rival Raila Odinga of the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition in the last election, had moved on and embraced the President’s Kenya Kwanza administration.

While urging locals to accord Ruto a befitting welcome, Kidero said there is a need to show the President that there is a “complete change in thinking from the old traditional behaviour which portrayed the people of this region as irrational, hostile, and ungovernable.”

“It is important to demonstrate that the people of Homa Bay have outgrown tribal and sectarian political ideologies that can only serve to relegate them to plying the second fiddle in national leadership,” he said.