President William Ruto’s week-long tour of Mt Kenya has been successful for the most part as he tours the vote-rich region. President William Ruto addresses Embu residents. Ahead of the tour, his critics claimed he had completely lost grip of the region, suggesting he might get a cold welcome. However, the head of state has been met with huge and eager crowds in every county he’s visited. Despite the relative success, Ruto has been forced to contend with isolated incidents of hostility, mainly directed at leaders in his entourage. Ruto runs into a hostile crowd At the early stages, his visit to Embu county was building up to be a feisty affair as the last time he was in the county, he received a cold welcome.
On Friday, April 4, the head of state was welcomed by jubilant crowds who lined up along the roads to welcome him. The head of state initially had a rough time as he greeted the crowd, as a section kept shouting at him with chants of “Uwongo” “Praise the Lord! Kindly greet me people of Embu on air for me so I can hear them. People of Embu, first and foremost, I want to sincerely thank you for welcoming us here in Embu today. I want to tell you that I have come to Embu for four important matters,” Ruto said as his voiced was drowned in the chants.
The president dismissed the chants against him before he continued with his speech, highlighting his plan to have homes in the area connected with electricity. “The first matter is about electricity. People of Embu, you told me that many of you here still don’t have electricity. Is that true or not? I have come here to ensure that the people of Embu get electricity,” the head of state continued. Why did Nyeri leaders plead with locals Ahead of Ruto’s visit to Nyeri Town and Othaya constituencies on Saturday, April 5, local leaders have urged residents to show restraint and avoid heckling politicians during presidential events. Mutahi Kahiga warned that heckling is uncalled for. This call came after a series of confrontational incidents earlier in the week, where leaders aligned with the Kenya Kwanza coalition were publicly shouted down by residents during Ruto’s stopovers in Nyandarua County.
Nyeri governor Mutahi Kahiga, addressing residents at various forums, warned that such behavior could tarnish the region’s image and harm its standing in national development politics.Kahiga, who has recently expressed concerns about the direction of Kenya Kwanza’s leadership, emphasized the importance of respecting the presidency despite any internal political disagreements. The appeal for calm follows an embarrassing incident in Nyandarua County, where National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri, and Woman Representative Faith Gitau were jeered by angry crowds while Ruto observed.
by Didacus Malowa
