President William Ruto addresses residents of Siaya County on August 30, 2024.
President William Ruto has assured his allies within the Kenya Kwanza coalition that the inclusion of opposition leaders in Kenya Kwanza government will not displace his long-serving loyalists.
On Sunday, the President explained that the coming in of Orange Democratic Movement members was in the best interest of peace and inclusivity at a time when the Gen Z led protests were rocking his two-year-old administration.
Dr Ruto told his loyalists that the national cake was big enough to satisfy everyone if Kenyans are to accept to work together as one people.
"If we come together, talk in one voice as Kenyans and stop thinking about our regional backyards, we shall bake a bigger cake that will satisfy all Kenyans and beyond. I therefore, extend my appeal to everyone to support my clarion call for national unity," he said when he toured Bungoma County.
Dr Ruto incorporated former governors Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega County) and Hassan Joho (Mombasa) alongside former ODM chairman John Mbadi and former National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi in his Cabinet, an arrangement that has been christened broad-based government.
Mr Oparanya is in charge of Cooperatives and Micro and Small Enterprises, Mr Joho (Mining), Mr Wandayi (Energy) and Mr Mbadi (National Treasury).
The president warned a section of leaders promoting politics of ethnicity and religious differences, accusing them of stirring divisions at a time when his administration is focused on uniting Kenyans.
"Those who want to propagate and preach sectarian, ethnic, regional and parochial politics will fail miserably because I am committed to serve all Kenyans without discrimination as this is the will of God,” said Dr Ruto when he attended a church service at the ACK Cathedral in Bungoma town.
He emphasised that he will do everything possible to ensure that the country is united.
Speaking in Bungoma town on his way from Nyanza region where he spent four days launching development projects, Dr Ruto appealed to Kenyans to ignore leaders spreading divisions in their quest to rise to power.
He lauded the warm reception he was accorded in Kisumu as he concluded his four-day tour of Mr Raila Odinga's backyard.
Hitherto to the post Gen Z protests truce, Mr Odinga was the president’s foremost critic.
"My trip to Nyanza has exhibited a miracle. I didn't believe that the big crowds that turned out to receive me were on the extreme side of my leadership a few months ago. They looked like they were my brothers, sisters and friends of so many years ago. And that is the beauty of our country because we need to build bridges and not walls," Dr Ruto said in Bungoma.
In 2021, he was chased and his convoy pelted with stones in Kisumu’s Kondele area where he was miraculously welcomed warmly on Friday.
The president asked elected officials to serve the people without considering who voted for them or did not.
He said Kenya was a blessed country with abundant good weather that has given plenty of food.
"The Ministry of Agriculture has indicated that we shall realise 70 million post-harvest bags of maize this year. This will be the first ever such yields because of the good partnership between the government and the farmers," he said.
The president said he had changed the conversation in Kenya from rhetoric politics of ethnicity, differences in religion to that anchored on development issues.
He said the conversation of issues around progress, transformation and development of the country was the best for everyone to join in.
"I ask the church to continue praying for us so that our focus remains on how best we can transform our country because this is the collective responsibility of each one of us," he added.
In Bungoma, the president inspected the ongoing construction of Masinde Muliro Stadium and instructed the contractor to complete the stadium before December, 2024.
He instructed that the stadium must be fitted with canopies around the pavilions, a carpeted play field and flood lights to facilitate night matches.
He donated Sh5 million for the expansion of Bungoma DEB primary school which is the country's most populated primary school with more than 5,000 pupils.
Accompanying the Head of State were National Assembly majority leader Kimani Ichungwa, Bungoma, Governor Kenneth Lusaka, senators Wafula Wakoli (Bungoma), Kathuri Murungi (Meru), Alexander Mundigi (Embu) and Laikipia Woman Rep. Jane Kagiri.
Others were MPs John Makali (Kanduyi), John Waluke (Sirisia), Didmus Barasa (Kimilili), Samuel Atandi (Alego Usonga), John Kiare (Dagorretti), Martin Wanyonyi (Webuye East) and John Machua (Kiambu).
"We have been moving around the region mobilising residents to unite. We are happy with your clarion call of unity because this will stabilise the country’s economy," said Mr Waluke.
Senator Murungi said the unity call by Dr Ruto is worth applause.
"From Mt Kenya to Lake Victoria and the hills in the Rift Valley to the Coastal region, there is only one slogan - One Nation, One People," he said.
The President is set to fly out to Beijing, China, for the Heads of State ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit.
