President William Ruto is set to embark on a comprehensive tour of the Mt. Kenya region starting Tuesday, with various activities lined up throughout the visit. He arrived at the Sagana State Lodge on Sunday evening, where he engaged with local leaders and participated in a roundtable media interview.
The tour comes against the backdrop of uncertainty regarding Ruto’s reception, as he has lost support from several regional leaders following the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Gachagua, who was elected as Ruto’s deputy in the 2022 General Election, was impeached by the Senate in October 2024. Since his removal, Gachagua has garnered the support of numerous Mt. Kenya political figures in opposition to Ruto.
In a candid interview on Sunday, Ruto openly addressed his strained relationship with Gachagua, alleging that his former deputy tried to coerce him financially. “I was told, ‘I can make you a one-term president unless you give me Ksh.10 billion to organize politics in the region.’ I refused. If my fate is to be a one-term president, so be it,” Ruto remarked during his conversation with vernacular media stations.
Ruto claimed that the rift began soon after assuming office, as Gachagua clashed with influential individuals, including blogger Dennis Itumbi and Members of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro and Kimani Ichung'wah.
This visit marks Ruto’s first return to the region since August 2024, when he toured alongside his former deputy. During the five-day itinerary, the president is scheduled to commission completed projects, inspect ongoing ones, and initiate new developments in counties including Laikipia, Nyeri, Meru, Kirinyaga, Nyandarua, Murang'a, Embu, Tharaka-Nithi, and Kiambu.
Key projects on Ruto’s agenda include roads, affordable housing, fresh produce markets, electricity connectivity, and water and irrigation initiatives. Notably, in Kiambu and Laikipia counties, he will inspect the ongoing construction of the County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CAIPS). Additionally, he will issue title deeds in Nyeri and Meru and assess water, sanitation, and sewerage projects in Meru, Murang'a, and Embu.
The president is also expected to visit livestock feedlots, the JM Memorial Hospital in Ol Kalou, and the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in Murang’a. Inspection of ongoing affordable housing projects is another focal point of his visit.
Earlier, on March 20, Ruto met with leaders from the region to discuss “revamping the agricultural sector in coffee, tea, and dairy farming, infrastructure development, affordable housing, and fresh produce markets.”
However, former Deputy President Gachagua has downplayed the significance of Ruto's tour, cautioning residents to be skeptical of the president's methods. Speaking in Naivasha on Saturday, Gachagua accused Ruto of attempting to “splash large sums of money” to regain public confidence.
With political dynamics shifting in the vote-rich Mt. Kenya region, the tour is seen as a crucial moment for Ruto to reaffirm his influence ahead of the 2027 General Election.