Kiambu — President William Ruto wrapped up his week-long development tour of Central Kenya on Saturday with a promise to return frequently to a region that overwhelmingly supported him in the 2022 General Election.
Responding to a request by Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, Ruto said his six-month absence from the region was due to his focus on fixing the economy and other pressing matters.
"Governor, soon I'll be visiting you people so often that you'll wonder if I have nowhere else to go," he told residents in Othaya Town.
The President toured nine counties during the working tour: Laikipia, Nyeri, Meru, Kirinyaga, Nyandarua, Murang'a, Tharaka-Nithi, Embu and Kiambu.
He concluded the trip by inspecting national government projects in Nyeri and Kiambu counties, including the construction of 468 affordable housing units in Nyeri Town and the stalled Ruring'u Stadium.
Ruto said a contract dispute that had delayed the stadium's completion has been resolved and that the Kenya Defence Forces will now fast-track its completion.
In Othaya, he laid the foundation stone for a new market and directed the Water Services Regulatory Board, the Council of Governors, and the Ministry of Water to agree on new water tariffs that reflect public views.
On electrification, the President announced a KSh848 million investment to connect 10,642 households in Nyeri County to the power grid this financial year.
"We are accelerating the implementation of our Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda as endorsed by the people," he said. "These projects are not only creating jobs but addressing key needs and driving socio-economic change at the grassroots."
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Ruto also highlighted reforms in the tea, coffee, and dairy sectors, saying they have begun to yield better earnings for farmers.
In Kiambu County, the President commissioned the Jitume ICT Lab at Lari Technical and Vocational College and inspected the Mau Mau roads under construction in the constituency. He said the government has allocated KSh5 billion to revive stalled Mau Mau road projects across Kiambu, Murang'a, Nyandarua, and Nyeri counties -- with Kiambu receiving KSh3.6 billion.
In Githunguri, he laid the foundation stone for a modern market and noted that Kiambu leads the country with 25 new markets under construction. He also said the government will spend KSh500 million to connect more households to electricity and is building seven affordable housing projects comprising 16,000 units.
Ruto urged leaders in Kiambu to embrace political tolerance, saying voters would ultimately judge them based on their performance. He also called on Kenyans to shun ethnic politics and unite behind a shared vision for the country.
He stressed that his tour of the region should not be viewed through a political lens, and reiterated that "nothing and no one" would come between him and the Central Kenya region.
The President was accompanied by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, governors, Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, MPs, MCAs, and other senior officials.
