Ruto: Nyanza has not been sidelined
President William Ruto, on Sunday, October 8, 2023, emphasised that his visit to the Nyanza region is a deliberate effort to address the perception of long-standing discrimination in terms of development in the area.
Speaking at the Uriri Teachers Training Institute in Migori, where he attended a joint mass, Dr Ruto clarified that his visit to Nyanza was not due to a lack of other destinations but rather a purposeful mission to dispel the perception of regional neglect.
“My coming to Migori does not mean I have nowhere else to go…I have come to Nyanza on purpose to dispel the long-standing perception that this region has been sidelined in terms of development,” President Ruto asserted.
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He emphasised that his election as the Fifth President of the Republic of Kenya in August 2022 signified the end of tribal politics. Under his administration, Ruto declared that every region in the country should benefit from government-led development initiatives.
“In the last election, there were three key things: peaceful polls, the removal of tribal-based politics, and for the first time in Kenya, the citizens and God chose their leader, not a machine or a ‘government’ puppet,” he explained.
In the 2022 election, Dr. Ruto, representing Kenya Kwanza, competed against the leader of the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance, Mr. Raila Odinga, securing victory by a margin of over 200,000 votes.
Nyanza has long voiced concerns about developmental disparities, and during his multi-day visit to the region, President Ruto launched various projects, including affordable housing, road construction, and healthcare facilities.
“I am the President of Kenya, and you are citizens of Kenya, so this is your government,” affirmed the head of state.
President Ruto also pledged to revive the sugar sector in the region, promising better payment for farmers and an improved agricultural landscape.
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