Ruto team met with hostility in Nyandarua
President William Ruto's Mt Kenya brigade was met with hostility in Nyandarua County on Thursday after a section of leaders were heckled.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah and a section of other leaders received a hostile reception from the angry crowd.
Residents refused to be addressed by a section of the Kenya Kwanza leaders, including Mr Ichung'wah who was heckled as he tried to address them.
Residents shouted down the Kikuyu MP, calling him a traitor. Others danced to offensive Kikuyu songs targeting the MP.
The crowd only allowed Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha, Woman Representative Faith Gitau and Ol Kalou MP David Kiaraho to speak without being heckled.
Throughout, President Ruto remained calm and did not comment on the heckling in his brief speech.
President Ruto was accompanied by some leaders from the Mt Kenya region, including newly appointed Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku and Information and Communication Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo.
President Ruto toured Ol Kalou town in Ol Kalou Constituency and later Engineer town in Kinangop.
However, a section of local leaders from Mt Kenya region, including most members of the County Assembly, gave the tour a wide berth.
They were said to be in a meeting with Senator John Methu, an ally of former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua.
During the visit, Ruto also landed with a basket full of goodies and promises.
"I received a detailed memorandum of the issues affecting Nyandarua residents from your Governor Dr Kiarie Badilisha and I assure the residents that the document will be implemented in full," said President Ruto.
"He raised the issue of Mashujaa Hospital Complex whose construction has stalled. I have directed the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and other technical teams to take charge of the construction and have it completed in one year, then we hand it back to the county government."
Initially, the national government failed to honour a Sh500 million pledge to complete the construction of the JM Mashujaa Level 6 Hospital Complex, but now, the KDF will take over the project.
The KDF involvement is a model first adopted by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Governor Francis Kimemia’s administration in the construction of Engineer Level Four Hospital in Kinangop Constituency.
On the stalled Ol Kalou Nyayo Stadium, President Ruto said, the national government will take over the project to ensure it is completed.
He also assured the residents that the Kirima Water Project will be completed at a cost of Sh600 million.
Other wishes in the governor's memorandum, which President Ruto promised to address, include improved electricity connections, completion of stalled roads, St Luke Dam to serve Kinangop Constituency, and completion of the county headquarters, whose construction has stalled for over a decade.
Nyandarua County headquarters will benefit from Sh500 million already approved by the Senate.
The first governor of Nyandarua, Daniel Waithaka, started the construction of the county headquarters, but it has stalled for over a decade. The project is now underway.
Governor Kiarie Badilisha said the county had been neglected by successive regimes, leaving it the least developed in the region.
"Mr President, Nyandarua was home to Mau Mau. We still have many residents living as squatters. We request your intervention to ensure that they are issued with title deeds," said Governor Badilisha.
"We also have a completed lands registry in Ol Kalou town, but Ministry of Lands officials have refused to occupy it and still operate from Nyahururu town in Laikipia County. We request for your intervention to end the suffering of Nyandarua residents seeking lands related services."
The Nation understands that the goodies for Nyandarua County were secured during a recent visit by Mt Kenya governors to State House, Nairobi.
After the visit last week, most of the projects in the region were fast-tracked while others were completed and promises fulfilled.
Most of the projects were initiated by President Ruto more than two years ago and had been stalled.
Governor Badilisha presented a wish list of critical development projects, including the county's need for a university in the region.
On Thursday, President Ruto announced the establishment of the long-awaited Nyandarua University College under the auspices of the University of Nairobi.
In addition to the gazette, which paves the way for the Kenya University and Colleges Placement Service to start placing students, the Ministry of Education has already posted key staff to the institution.
The idea of establishing the university was mooted several years ago, but remained a dream.
Other projects, including roads that had been abandoned, now have contractors back on site and are expected to be completed.