Kenya International Convention Center (KICC) Board Chair Irungu Nyakera has urged residents of the Mount Kenya region to refrain from politicizing President William Ruto’s upcoming tour and instead prioritize discussions on development.
Nyakera emphasized that the President’s visit offers an opportunity to assess progress and address the challenges facing the region. He warned that excessive focus on political debates could derail crucial development projects, drawing lessons from past experiences.
“History has taught us harsh lessons. When Mzee Jomo Kenyatta visited Kisumu with Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and was received with hostility, development in that region came to a halt for decades,” he recalled. “Similarly, in President Uhuru’s final term, Mt Kenya suffered because we allowed politics to override cooperation and watched development bypass us.”
He reminded residents that in the last election, they voted for development, which is primarily facilitated by the Office of the President. “When he visits next week, let our focus be on that development—not on the politics,” Nyakera stressed.
Nyakera also expressed regret that he would not be present for the tour, citing his ongoing studies at Oxford University in the UK. However, he reaffirmed his support for Ruto’s visit and urged the region’s residents to engage in constructive discussions centered on economic transformation.
Ahead of the tour, political leaders allied to President Ruto, including Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa, have been conducting groundwork to prepare for the visit.
President Ruto is scheduled to embark on a five-day working tour of the Mount Kenya region from April 1 to April 5, 2025. This marks his first visit since August 2024. During this period, he will commission completed projects, inspect ongoing initiatives, and launch new ones in nine counties: Laikipia, Nyeri, Meru, Kirinyaga, Nyandarua, Murang’a, Embu, Tharaka-Nithi, and Kiambu.
The visit is part of the ongoing implementation of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, the government’s key development blueprint. Several projects have already been completed, while others are at different stages of implementation.
As the region gears up for the visit, leaders continue to emphasize the importance of development-focused discussions over political grandstanding.
