Ruto to Mt Kenya: I will not stop coming here, you are my people
President William Ruto in Othaya, Nyeri, on April 5, 2025.
President William Ruto concluded his five-day tour of the mountain region on Saturday, telling residents of the restive Mt Kenya area that he was not done with them yet and would be back soon.
The President was visiting the region, which voted for him overwhelmingly in the 2022 presidential election but turned against him after he engineered the ouster of his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, in October last year.
Responding to a request by Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga - an ally of the former deputy - the President said he had been busy fixing the economy, among other issues, during the six months he had not visited the region.
“Governor, soon I will be visiting you people so often that you’ll wonder if I have nowhere else to go,” he said while addressing residents of Othaya Town yesterday.
The President’s working tour took him to nine counties, namely Laikipia, Nyeri, Meru, Kirinyaga, Nyandarua, Murang’a, Tharaka-Nithi, Embu, and Kiambu.
President William Ruto addresses wananchi at Karugia trading centre in Murang’a after he launched the construction of Karugia market and Kaihii Irrigation water project in this third day of his Mt Kenya development tour on April 3, 2025.
He concluded the tour with visits to national government projects in Kiambu and Nyeri counties.
He began the day’s activities by inspecting the 468 Affordable Housing units under construction in Nyeri Town, as well as the stalled Ruring’u Stadium.
President Ruto said a contract dispute that had delayed the stadium’s completion has now been resolved, and the Kenya Defence Forces has taken over the site to fast-track completion of the project.
“Our job now is development, and that is what we are doing - not politics. When the time comes for politics, each of us will prepare for the race. I will come back to you and ask whether I passed my exams in development. If you say I did not meet your expectations and have failed, and you decide not to re-elect me, no problem. I will not fight back. I will go home and become a farmer,” the Head of State said.
At Othaya, where he laid the foundation stone for a modern market, the President directed the Water Services Regulatory Board, the Council of Governors, and the Ministry of Water to meet and agree on new water prices that reflect the views of the people.
President William Ruto and Deputy President addressing Othaya Town residents on Saturday, April 5, 2025.
On electricity, he said the government would spend Sh848 million to connect 10,642 households in Nyeri County to power this financial year.
“We are accelerating the implementation of our Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda as endorsed by the people,” he said.
He added: “These projects and programmes are not only creating jobs but also addressing the priority needs of the people and driving socio-economic transformation at the grassroots.”
He also announced that the government would spend an additional Sh500 million to connect more households to power.
Furthermore, seven affordable housing projects in the county, comprising 16,000 units, are currently under construction.
President Ruto reiterated that the reforms his administration has implemented in the tea, coffee, and dairy sectors over the past two years are bearing fruit, saying farmers are receiving better prices for their produce.
In Othaya, the President said he was not worried about the 2027 elections, adding that he would respect the will of Kenyans if they chose to reject him at the ballot box.
He said that for now, he is focused on delivering the promises he made to Kenyans during the 2022 campaign, maintaining that he would not be distracted by politicians “propagating political rhetoric.”
Dr Ruto stated that he would continue to prioritise development projects and expressed confidence that Kenyans would judge him fairly.
In Kiambu County, the President opened the Jitume ICT Lab at Lari Technical and Vocational College and inspected Lot 1A and Lot 1B of the Mau Mau roads currently under construction in the constituency.
He said the government had allocated Sh5 billion to revive stalled Mau Mau road projects across Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyandarua, and Nyeri counties, with Kiambu alone receiving Sh3.6 billion.
President William Ruto addresses Nyeri town residents after inspecting affordable housing units on the final day of his Mt Kenya development tour on April 5, 2025.
In Githunguri Constituency, President Ruto laid the foundation stone for a modern market and noted that Kiambu County has 25 markets under construction - the highest number nationally.
However, the Kiambu visit was also marked by booing directed at leaders including Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah and Kiambu Woman Representative Anne Wamuratha. Mr Ichung’wah had earlier been heckled in Nyandarua.
On Saturday, Mr Ichung’wah and Ms Wamuratha were again heckled in Githunguri and Lari constituencies, and in some instances, Mr Ichung’wah was forced to cut short his speech.