Kitui — Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has likened President William Ruto to football superstars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, praising the Head of State's leadership and development agenda during his tour of Kitui County.

Speaking during the President's visit to the county, Mutua described Ruto as both "the Messi of Kenya" and "the Mbappé of Kenya", saying his leadership style and development record set him apart from his political rivals.

"You are the Messi of Kenya, you are the Mbappé of Kenya," Mutua told the President during the event, drawing cheers from supporters in attendance.

The remarks came as President Ruto continued his development tour of the Ukambani region, where he inspected and launched a series of infrastructure and economic empowerment projects.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

The President has used the tour to highlight the government's investments in roads, markets, water projects, electricity connectivity and youth empowerment initiatives aimed at accelerating development in the region.

Mutua, a former Machakos governor and one of the government's key political allies in the region, urged residents to support the President's development agenda, saying the administration had demonstrated its commitment to delivering projects across the country without discrimination.

The comparison to two of world football's biggest stars quickly attracted attention on social media, with supporters and critics alike weighing in on the remarks.

President Ruto has in recent months intensified development tours across various counties as the government seeks to showcase progress on flagship projects under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

The Kitui visit formed part of the President's broader engagement with local leaders and communities to assess ongoing projects and identify areas requiring additional government intervention.