Revealed: Money angle in Ruto Mt Kenya tour

President William Ruto’s six-day whistle-stop blitz of the Mt Kenya region, which ended on Saturday, has stirred debate—not just over its development and political messaging, but also over questions about the flow of money during his engagements.

There is a running joke that he has caused inflation in the mountain by the sheer amount of money he spent during his week-long tour.

In the run-up to the tour, Dr Ruto's former deputy Rigathi Gachagua - a man with whom he's had a bitter falling out - suggested to locals how much they should charge to appear on the president's tours.

“If you are going to listen to lies, ensure you get a good price for it. Do not accept little money to be deceived. President Ruto has brought money because we elected him for free,” he said, insisting they should charge as high as sh20,000 for an appearance which included singing and praising the President.

Traders, women groups, boda boda riders and youths were mobilised from far and wide to ensure the president received a resounding welcome.

The mobilisation of crowds which was spearheaded by governors, MPs and MCAs as well as national government administration officers was also meant to tame dissent during the president’s meetings.

Read: Ruto: I will crush my opponents in 2027

In Nanyuki, where the president launched and inspected various development projects, a document detailing the planning budget seen by the Sunday Nation indicates that initially, a total of about Sh6 million was allocated in Laikipia East Constituency alone.

This budget excludes boda boda operators, about 500 of them, with each pocketing Sh1,000, translating to Sh500,000.

About 600 fresh produce traders at the market and second-hand clothes traders were to be given Sh500 each, translating to Sh300,000.

This was replicated in all the constituencies he visited.

At the Nanyuki market where the President inspected the ongoing construction, all traders had closed their shops for the day.

Dancers, who totalled 600 and drawn from three wards took the lion's share, with a total of Sh5,000 set aside for each of them.

This included the cost of new dancing uniforms.

The President was received by a group of singers at DEB Nanyuki Primary School.

It is not clear if the money was disbursed as budgeted, with some traders at the open market saying they received Sh300 instead of the Sh500 promised.

However, boda boda riders confirmed having received Sh1,000, which was paid in cash through the chairpersons of respective stages on Tuesday.

Strategists under the command of area MPs spared no effort in ensuring that the head of state was accorded a rousing welcome in an area deemed hostile to the government.

Those targeted for cheering and dancing to the head of state were given a down payment prior to the arrival of the presidential entourage, with the balance being cleared after the function.

But Mr Munyori Buku, the Head of Presidential Communication Service, dismissed allegations of bought crowds, terming it a creation of some opposition politicians.

“President William Ruto has proved, time and again in the last 27 years, that he is a master of the political game in Kenya. The quicker the naysayers accepted, the better it will be for their minds and souls,” Mr Buku told Nation.

He went on: “It is the same mistake they made in the run-up to the 2022 elections. They claimed DP then was paying people, ferrying them from one venue to another. But the results of the elections proved them wrong and they will be proven wrong again in due course.”

In Laikipia, tens of dancers assembled at the Laikipia East NG-CDF office in Nanyuki to receive their dues last Tuesday.

Read:  Of prodigal son and the lonely protagonist: Ruto’s Mt Kenya tour

As the first entry in his five-day tour of scaling the mountain, nothing was left to chance to project Dr Ruto as a favourite and one who still commands the region and not the impeached deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, who is seen as the de facto kingpin of Mt Kenya Region.

National Government Administration Officials (NGAOs) were roped in, where chiefs were tasked with mobilizing village elders and members of community policing/Nyumba Kumi Initiative with a promise of cash rewards.

But five days after the president's visit, the majority of the village elders drawn from Nturukuma, Mirera and Nanyuki locations are yet to receive their dues.

"On Wednesday, they had planned to give us Sh200 each and ten kilos of beans, but we refused. We are demanding at least Sh2,000, but the office of the chiefs who invited us are yet to honour their promise," said a village elder from Nanyuki location.

The elders numbering about 100 were tasked with crowd mobilisation and, as members of community policing team, identify troublemakers likely to heckle Dr Ruto or other elected leaders.

Some leaders who were previously lukewarm or critical of the Kenya Kwanza administration made surprise appearances during Dr Ruto’s stops in various counties in the region, as multiple interviews with a section of locals revealed massive financial inducements.

The opposition has accused President Ruto of using State resources to buy support, with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka terming the situation unfortunate.

“How can it be that a whole president who is supposed to be sitting in State House and working, takes State money from state coffers to go and bribe people everywhere…and they believe now they control the mountain, they don’t, I can tell you,” Mr Musyoka charged.

He threatened that the opposition would soon launch massive rallies in the region to undo possible President Ruto’s gains.

Read:  Ruto: I am still the king of the Mountain

“When we move there, there will be no William Ruto in the mountain and all other parts of the country,” Mr Musyoka, an ally of former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua asserted.

The opposition argues that while the President’s message emphasized development, job creation, and revitalization of the coffee and tea sectors, it was overshadowed by the underlying perception of state-backed patronage.

But Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki dismissed government’s critics, maintaining the trip was purely on development agenda.

He maintained that, for instance, “through deliberate and strategic policy, administrative and regulatory interventions, we are determined to make agriculture a profitable venture for our farmers by guaranteeing them maximum returns for their toil.”

“We are reorganising the business of coffee and tea, subsidizing production and eliminating cartels and middlemen who for years have benefited from the sweat of farmers. The average earnings for coffee farmers have shot to between Sh110 and Sh150 per kilogram of cherry from the previous price of Sh50 to Sh60, following a significant increase in production,” the DP said on Saturday.

Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome revealed attempts by Mr Gachagua’s camp to pull her out of the government, insisting that Prof Kindiki is also a son of the Mountain, hence the region remains firmly in government.

“We hunted for votes for the presidency, and we won and formed the government. Every plan the President has cannot succeed if we are not in government. Even if they try to pull me out of government, I will not heed to their calls because Prof Kindiki is also our son and we are together in this government,” Ms Wahome said.

During his visit to Nanyuki, the only significant defector from “Wamunyoro Camp” was former Laikipia County Assembly Speaker Patrick Waigwa, who rejected bribery allegations as the reason for ditching Mr Gachagua.

"I was not offered any cash or employment opportunity by the Kenya Kwanza administration. I realized by associating with the current government, our people stand to gain from the development project." Waigwa, who is considering running for the Laikipia East parliamentary seat in 2027, told Nation.

In Nyeri, residents were mobilised into various groups, including traders, boda boda operators, and youths.

In Narumoru, he was accompanied by hundreds of boda boda riders wearing reflector jackets marked "KBB" for 'Kazi Bila Break.'

Read:  How night meeting between Ruku, Embu MCAs and Mbarire eased tensions over Ruto tour

The slogan has been promoted on social media by Dennis Itumbi, the head of presidential special projects and digital economy.

Additionally, many women and youths were taken by buses to Narumoru, arriving early in the morning. Anonymous sources revealed that boda boda operators were paid Sh1500 each, while other groups received Sh1000 each.

In Nyeri town, President Ruto addressed a controlled crowd of about 2,000 people inside a plot where the affordable housing project is ongoing.

Only those who had been mobilized were allowed into the venue with group leaders ensuring compliance.

In Kirinyaga and Embu, Chiefs played a key role in mobilising residents to attend President Ruto's rallies.

During a tour of the regions, Ruto addressed hundreds of residents at Runyenjes town in Embu as well as Kagio town in Kirinyaga.

During President William Ruto’s visit to the Mt Kenya region, traders in several towns, including Kagio and Runyenjes, reported being forced by government administrators and police to close their businesses to welcome the Head of State.

In Kagio, traders said they remained shut from morning until evening, with some likening the experience to the oppressive Kanu era. Fearing arrest, business owners in Runyenjes also closed shop to attend the President’s rally. County government agents mobilised uniformed women’s groups, ferrying them to the venue in buses to line the streets.

In Meru, hundreds of members of community-based organisations were transported to Tigania West, while in Maua, politicians coordinated chanting groups to show support for Ruto and his deputy. In Tharaka Nithi, a politician was filmed coaching youth on chants ahead of the President’s arrival.

Reporting by Justus Ochieng’, George Munene, Mwangi Ndirangu and David Muchui