KISII, Kenya- President William Ruto has concluded a four-day development tour of Kisii and Nyamira counties with a public rally in Kisii town, closing the visit with new electricity, education and infrastructure commitments — and a sustained political offensive against opposition leaders.
The President used the final leg of the tour to launch Last Mile Electricity Connectivity projects at Keroka in Nyaribari Masaba and Ibeno in Kisii County.
According to President Ruto, the Keroka project will connect 3,000 homes to electricity, while a further 1,200 households are targeted for connection under the Ibeno programme.
He said the electricity expansion would support households, improve service delivery and help small businesses that depend on reliable power to grow.
President Ruto also commissioned the Ibeno Kenya Medical Training College, saying the facility will help expand the training of health professionals and strengthen the workforce needed to deliver universal health coverage.
The college is among education and health projects highlighted during the final stages of the Gusii tour.
Reports from the region indicated that Ibeno KMTC had faced years of delay before its commissioning.
Development agenda takes centre stage
In his closing remarks, President Ruto said the tour had involved the commissioning, inspection and launch of projects across Kisii and Nyamira, arguing that his administration was delivering on the development roadmap presented to voters in 2022.
He said the government was reforming higher-education financing and pursuing amendments to ensure students in universities, technical institutions and medical training colleges can access full funding.
The President presented the policy as part of a wider effort to make education more accessible and reduce inequality in access to training opportunities.
Across the four days, the tour featured road projects, markets, housing sites, schools, ICT facilities, water infrastructure and electrification initiatives. It began on Sunday in Nyamira County and covered several constituencies in both counties before ending in Kisii on Wednesday.
Some projects were commissioned, while others were launched, inspected or announced, meaning their benefits will depend on the completion of works and the delivery of the services promised.
President Ruto also credited the broad-based political arrangement between the United Democratic Alliance and the Orange Democratic Movement with strengthening the government’s development momentum.
The partnership has increasingly featured in the President’s political messaging as he seeks to demonstrate a wider national base for his administration ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Political rhetoric shadows project launches
But the tour was also marked by sharply political speeches, with President Ruto repeatedly turning development stops into platforms to attack opposition leaders.
At different rallies, he accused DCP Leader Rigathi Gachagua of divisive politics and of targeting younger leaders allied to the government. He also challenged opposition figures to present a clear alternative programme for the country.
During an address in the Gusii region, President Ruto said he, Gachagua and Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka belonged to the same political generation and should eventually leave the national stage in 2032 to allow younger leaders to take over.
He named South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro, Nyaribari Chache MP Zaheer Jhanda, Kisii Woman Representative Dorice Donya, Nyandarua Senator John Methu, MP Ndindi Nyoro, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah and Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot among politicians he described as emerging leaders.
Methu is however Gachagua’s most trusted lieutenant and DCP Secretary General.
President Ruto’s statements drew a response from Gachagua, who challenged him over the government’s record on youth, protest deaths and disappearances.
The exchange has added another layer to the increasingly personal Ruto-Gachagua fallout, which is shaping political alignments ahead of 2027.
Gusii becomes a key political battleground
The President’s four-day visit underscored the growing importance of Kisii and Nyamira in the contest for support between the Kenya Kwanza administration and opposition leaders.
While the government’s message centred on roads, electricity connections, health training and education funding, the political undertone was difficult to miss.
President Ruto urged residents to judge his administration by projects being implemented in the region, saying development should take precedence over ethnic politics and personal attacks.
