President Kenyatta to launch dozens of projects in last full week in office
President Kenyatta, Energy CS Monicah Juma (left), KenGen MD Rebecca Miano and Board Chairman Samson Mwathethe during the commissioning of Olkaria I Unit 6 power station yesterday.
President Uhuru Kenyatta will spend his last full week in office before the August 9 General Election commissioning key development projects across the country, campaigning for his preferred successor Raila Odinga, and launching a final assault against his estranged deputy, William Ruto.
The President is expected to tour Vihiga, Coast and Nyanza regions as well as his Mt Kenya backyard where he will open projects that he hopes will define his presidential legacy.
The tours are, however, expected to be punctuated by heavy political undertones as the retiring President seeks to persuade voters to elect Mr Odinga, and reject DP Ruto.
Allies of the President say that the tours are meant to deal a body blow to Mr Ruto. They are also intended to galvanise support for Mr Odinga in areas such as the Coast and Nyanza by reinforcing the ‘get-out-and-vote’ message.
The President has largely kept off Mr Odinga’s campaign trail, instead throwing salvos at his deputy and rooting for Mr Odinga from other podiums, such as when launching development projects.
Favoured successor
So far, the Head of State has visited Samburu, Laikipia and Nakuru counties commissioning different projects within the past two weeks, where he has asked locals to rally behind his favoured successor.
A Nakuru State House meeting early this week, in which the President hosted a group of Rift Valley leaders, prompted a strong response from DP Ruto, who in an uncharacteristically tough tone told the President to “leave him alone” and instead concentrate on campaigning for his preferred candidate. He also told the President he was not afraid to face him politically as long as he did not “kill his children”.
Jubilee Party vice-chairman David Murathe says the deputy president’s strong reaction to the Nakuru meeting was an indication of the damaging effect that the President’s tours were having on his campaign.
“He was annoyed because of the State House meeting in Nakuru. There are a lot of independents in the Rift Valley who are not for him and they are very strong on the ground,” claimed Mr Murathe.
“His outburst was personal and we are even grappling with how to deal with it. It is a clear provocation and he wants us to respond and we prefer not to. Let the people decide. People are seeing him for what he is,” he added.
Kiharu MP and Mr Ruto’s close ally, Ndindi Nyoro, says the Nakuru State House meeting was meant to threaten the DP and his supporters.
“He said (the President) that by this week or next week, Ruto will know Uhuru is the President of Kenya. He said he is planning to harm Ruto. We want to ask you, Mr President, don't burn Kenya because of the kitendawili (riddle) man. The President also said that Moses Kuria will know you, Kimani Ichungwa will also feel your wrath and Ndindi Nyoro will also feel your wrath. I want to tell the President that I cannot kneel before a human being, I can only kneel before God,” said Mr Nyoro.
While campaigning in Kieni, Nyeri County yesterday, Mr Ruto’s running mate Rigathi Gachagua yesterday sharpened the attacks, asking the President not to harm the Kenya Kwanza Alliance leaders as he is alleged to have said he would do at the Nakuru State House meeting.
5.8 million registered voters
The mountain region has become a swing vote area with some 5.8 million registered voters to fight for. Recent opinion polls have consistently put Mr Ruto in the lead for the region’s votes, while Mr Odinga trails but is ranking better than he has done in the past three General Elections in 2007, 2013 and 2017.
Coast and Western regions also have the potential of deciding the winner of the presidential election, with repeat polls showing Mr Odinga leading. Nyanza, on the other hand, is Mr Odinga’s home turf and the only challenge he faces there is suppressing voter apathy.
President Kenyatta has lined up several projects to launch in his backyard, as he also sells Mr Odinga’s State House bid. He will also be using the opportunity to hit out at his deputy, who has camped in the region for years.
“He will pop up in different places and he will address the people he meets. It will be very interesting last days of the campaign,” said Mr Murathe.
State House spokesperson Kanze Dena yesterday confirmed to the Sunday Nation that President Kenyatta will be visiting Mt Kenya region this week.
“We’re going to communicate (on his schedule) once the planning is finalised,” said Ms Dena. President Kenyatta was on Friday supposed to be in Kiambu County to launch the Karimenu II Dam and Kirigiti stadium, which cost the government over Sh2 billion, but the tour was cancelled because the Head of State was presiding over the trooping of the colour by the 21 Battalion, Kenya Rifles, at the Ulinzi Sports Complex, Nairobi.
Karimenu II Dam and Kirigiti stadium will now be part of the projects he will launch this week.
Jubilee director of elections and Kieni MP Kanini Kega yesterday disclosed that President Kenyatta will visit his region to give a direction to his community.
“Of course, the boss (President Kenyatta) will be visiting from next week to give us the direction as he heads to retirement,” said Mr Kega.
Former Water CS Sicily Kariuki, an ardent ally of President Kenyatta, said the Head of State will be debunking what she described as “tanga tanga lies” that he has not worked for his people who have stood with him both in the 2013 and 2017 elections.
Gatanga MP Joseph Ngugi Nduati, another ally of President Kenyatta, said the coming of the Head of State to his political bastion is going to sway many voters.
“The problem with our people is only his absence. He is going to tell them what he has done for the region and indeed, he has done a lot and our people are seeing it. His presence will sway votes towards Raila,” the legislator said.
At the Coast, also this week, President Kenyatta will be launching several legacy projects including the Sh4.5 billion Makupa Bridge, which is over 96 per cent complete and the Sh22 billion Dongo Kundu Bypass in Miritini.
Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) director-general Simon Omwono, who inspected President Kenyatta’s mega infrastructural projects last week ahead of his visit to the region, urged all the contractors to fast-track ongoing construction works and complete them within the specified timeframe.
Additional reporting by Winnie Atieno and Kassim Adinasi.
