Christmas in Kilgoris again: Is Ruto turning his Narok home into power citadel?

On Thursday morning,he drove himself to PEFA Ikarian Cathedral in Lolgorian, Kilgoris, where he attended a Christmas day church service alongside First Lady Rachel Ruto.

President Ruto shared a joint message with the First Lady, calling for unity, peace and togetherness during the festive season.

"May the birth of Jesus Christ brings hope, joy and peace to your homes. As we celebrate, let us cherish one another and the blessings that unite us as one nation," said the Head of State.

He was accompanied by former Assistant Minister Magerer Lang'at and other local leaders.

After the service, the first family interacted with congregants before President Ruto got behind the wheel and drove off.

A source told the Nation, that President Ruto later spent the better part of Christmas day inspecting his vast farm.

Ruto has of late chosen his palatial home in Kilgoris, as his favourite place where he has spent the end year holiday with members of his family for the last three years and also hosted official guests on various occasions.

The Head of State is known to have four private residences; in Nairobi, Uasin Gishu and Taita Taveta Counties.

But his Narok home appears to be his newest gem, having been thrust into the national limelight in the recent past.

President Ruto, a political student of Kenya's second President Daniel arap Moi, appears to have developed love for his Kilgoris home, just like the late Head of State loved his Kabarak home in Nakuru County.

Heart of country's politics 

He is slowly turning the Kilgoris home into a citadel of power.

For the 24 years that Moi bestrode Kenya's politics like a colossus, his expansive 2,300-acre Kabarak home,in Nakuru remained the citadel of his power and the heart of the country's politics.

During his reign, Kabarak was a safe haven where he would relax away from power mandarins in Nairobi.

There's no doubt that Moi loved Nakuru. Infact, when he wanted to avoid the hustle and bustle of the capital, Nairobi, he could retreat to Kabarak. It was almost guaranteed that Mzee Moi would visit Nakuru during weekends and New Year celebrations.

At Kabarak, where Moi loved to stay, careers were made and broken, with Cabinet ministers, lawmakers and other leaders who did not toe the line facing Mzee's wrath.

It was also here that politicians "saw the light", walking home with bundles of new, crisp notes -owing to the legendary generosity of the former President, who dished money at will.

And just like Mzee Moi used to retreat to Kabarak, especially on weekends and end year holidays, President Ruto has developed love for his Narok home where he has been retreating to, to make key decisions for the country.

If he is not holding a meeting at the Kilgoris home, the President is often spotted touring the more than 900 acres of expansive farm where the home stands,  checking on the progress of his animals and crops.

Dr Ruto has also been attending church services in Kilgoris. In most of the instances, he is not accompanied by his aide-de-camp.

For instance, at the height of the Gen Z-led protests, on June 30, 2024, Ruto attended a church service at the Lolgorian PEFA church from where he asked the youth to embrace dialogue.

On August 4, 2024, he attended a church service in Kilgoris accompanied by Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu and other local leaders.

In March, 2024 he also attended a church service in Kilgoris, during which he directed politicians, elders and church leaders to sit down and find a lasting solution to the raging inter-clan clashes in Trans Mara 

The most notable was on March 30, 2024, when President William Ruto chaired a high-level security meeting at the Trans Mara home to discuss the security situation in the North Rift region.

Present in the meeting were then Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, former Inspector General of police Japhet Koome and his two deputies.

The meeting with Interior and Administration of National Government officials was just one of the many that have been held at his Kilgoris home, a land formerly owned by former Vice President Joseph Murumbi.

On May 5, 2024, photos of President Ruto and First Lady Mama Rachel Ruto spending a moment at their wheat farm within the expansive home were shared on social media.

The pictures shared by his team showed the two checking on the progress of their animals at the home. 

They were also spotted at their wheat farm checking on their growth conditions.

State House digital secretary Dennis Itumbi said, they also planted a few trees during the inspection tour of the farm.

Political pundits and observers argue that President Ruto's Narok home is slowly becoming the centre of power, just like Mzee Moi's Kabarak home.

"President Ruto visits his Kilgoris Home frequently. He has been holding many key meetings at the home and it is becoming a hideout where he retreats to when their is pressure in the capital Nairobi, to make key decisions about the country," says lawyer and political analyst Steve Kabita.

Tucked in the heart of the Trans-Mara sub-county, surrounded by the picturesque Lolgorian hills, the beautiful 35-roomed palatial home stands on a more than 900 -acres ranch. 

President Ruto purchased the expansive farm in 2015.

After taking over the farm, Ruto transformed what was once a dilapidated state of the ranch into an opulent stature. 

In addition, he has stocked hundreds of beef cattle on the ranch and has employed personnel to supervise the farm. 

Ruto's ranch reportedly neighbours former President Uhuru Kenyatta's 1,000-acre ranch in Oloolmongi, Lolgorian Ward, Narok County.

Narok, just like the neighboring, Nakuru County is now home to more than one President.

Nakuru is home to three Heads of State including former  President Kenyatta who has a home at the expansive Gicheha farm, which neighbours Mzee Moi’s expansive Kabarak home, both in Rongai Sub-County.

In the Gicheha Farm, the Kenyatta family has invested very heavily in agriculture.

The 4000-acre farm is located a kilometre off the Nakuru-Eldoret highway and has over 1000 animals and several plantations. 

Uhuru has reared exotic animals exported from South Africa and Uganda. They include Boer goats, Brangus, Charolais, Hereford, Brahman and Ankole cows. Local breeds include the Borans and Sahiwals cattle. 

The farm also introduced recently 42 dairy Boer goats from South Africa.

President Kenyatta has built four mansions in Nairobi, Nakuru, Narok and Kiambu counties.

Retired President Mwai Kibaki also had a home in Bahati Sub-County, which he rarely visited.

For the late Mzee Moi he had seven known private residences - one in the capital, Nairobi, and six in Rift Valley.

Of the seven, only two - Kabarnet Gardens in the neighbourhood of Nairobi's Kibera slums and Kabarak farm, at Rongai near Nakuru City - are well known.

He acquired Kabarak home during his time as Vice President in the 1970s, years before he took over as President, from Kenya's founding father Mzee Jomo Kenyatta following his death on August 22, 1978.

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