Kisii — President William Ruto has told Azimio leader Raila Odinga to stop 'planning chaos' and prepare for the 2027 contest.
The President, who won the August 2022 election, said he will still defeat Odinga who unsuccessfully challenged the election outcome at the Supreme Court.
"I told you during the campaigns that I would defeat the Opposition leader. And I did so, fair and square," he said during a tour of Kisii on Thursday.
He said demonstrations won't change the fact that last year's elections were conclusively determined and he was legitimately declared President of Kenya.
The President was speaking at Rigoma in Kitutu Masaba, Nyamira County, when he kicked off a three-day visit of Kisii, Nyamira and Migori counties.
Odinga led mass protests on Monday and has vowed to lead the same on Monday and Thursday next accusing the government of failing to bring down the high cost of living. He describes Ruto as an illegitimate president while insisting that he won the election despite having been dismissed by the Supreme Court in his petition.
The President said institutions that have been given the mandate of determining electoral matters, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Supreme Court, fully discharged their roles.
"It is not the supposed invented whistleblower who decides who wins elections. The institutions that have that mandate declared me duly elected President," he said.
President Ruto asked the opposition to end their destructive demonstrations and give him space to transform the country.
"I have a duty to protect the rights of all Kenyans from all threats. I have an obligation to the business owners in various parts of the country whose premises were looted and destroyed by protesters mobilized by reckless and irresponsible politicians."
He said he is ready to work with all elected leaders, irrespective of their political affiliations, to advance the country's development agenda for the benefit of the people.
"The election ended and Kenyans decided who their President is. They should give me space to transform Kenya, create jobs for the youth, empower our farmers to produce more food so that we can eradicate hunger," he said.
He was accompanied by Cabinet Secretaries Eliud Owalo (ICT), Ezekiel Machogu (Education) and Zachariah Njeru (Lands). Others were Governors Simba Arati (Kisii) and Amos Nyaribo (Nyamira), and MPs.
Mr Arati said even though the President is from a different political formation, he will work with him to transform the country and Gusiiland.
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"We can only have one President at a time. You are the President and we must work with you," he said.
Earlier, at Kisii National Polytechnic, the President said the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has been given enough funds for students.
He also said the Government is equipping Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutes (TVET) with computers to elevate them to digital hubs.
"Our goal is to ensure we empower students with digital skills that will prepare them for online job opportunities, " he said.
The President said the government will hire an additional 2,000 TVET tutors to boost TVET institutions.
At Kegati, President Ruto commissioned the Kisii Town Water Supply Project, Kegati Water Treatment Plant. The project will increase the capacity of the Plant from 6,500 to 27,000 cubic meters per day and increase the supply of clean water that meets World Health Organization (WHO) standards in the county. This includes areas that were initially not covered like Suneka, Nyamataro, Egesa, Nyanguru, Kiogoro and Nyakoe.
Later, he commissioned the upgrading to bitumen standard and performance based routine maintenance of Gekano-Rigoma-Amabuko; Ngenyi-Manga-Motemumwamu; Gekano-Girango and Gekano-Muturmesi-Birongo roads. - Presidential Communication Service
