- Both Ruto and Raila have toured the coast region three times since May.
- He will be in Voi and Taveta towns before flying to Ukunda in Kwale in the evening.
Image: DPPS
Deputy President William Ruto is returning to the Coast region for a three-day blitz campaign in his last attempt to tilt the region in his favour.
Ruto, the Kenya Kwanza Alliance presidential candidate, is facing Azimio la Umoja Coalition party presidential candidate Raila Odinga for the region’s two million votes in next month's general election.
For a long time, the coastal region has been considered an ODM zone, but Ruto has made progress in trying to take the region.
Ruto’s Coast tour is coming barely a week after Raila camped in the region from last Tuesday to Friday, visiting Taita Taveta, Kwale, Mombasa and Kilifi counties.
According to the programme released by Ruto’s presidential secretariat, the Deputy President will begin his tour in Taita Taveta county on Wednesday.
He will be in Voi and Taveta towns before flying to Ukunda in Kwale in the evening.
On Thursday, Ruto will be in Lamu, Tana River and Kilifi counties.
He is expected in Faza in Lamu county on Thursday 8am, before holding another meeting at Mpeketoni at 10am.
At 11am, Ruto will be at Bayusuf grounds in Hola Town, Galole constituency and later at 1 pm at Tarasaa Town Centre, Garsen constituency, both in Tana River.
He will later in the day be in Malindi in Kilifi. On Friday, the Deputy President is expected in Mombasa.
Coast political analyst Hassan Mwakimako, an associate professor at Pwani University, said Ruto’s visit is meant to try and wrestle the region from Raila’s grip.
He said for a long time the coastal region has been seen as Raila’s stronghold, but right now it is hotly contested.
“Last week during Raila’s tour, the mood in the region changed in favour of Raila. He kept on reminding the region how they voted for him for the past 15 years,” Mwakimako said.
“Ruto is now coming to remind the region why the Coast residents should vote for him and Kenya Kwanza. His tour is meant to consolidate his votes.”
On July 7, Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya, who is among the principals in Kenya Kwanza, said DP Ruto will get at least 70 per cent of all the votes in the coastal region.
He added that the Kenya Kwanza will sweep at least four governor seats in Kwale, Lamu, Kilifi and Tana River.
He described Taita Taveta county as a battleground and “ODM should not sit pretty thinking the Mombasa governor race will be a walk in the park.”
“In my own assessment, the Kenya Kwanza Alliance is sure to win four governor seats at the Coast, and if all goes well, we will deliver five seats,” Mvurya told the Star.
Mvurya said ODM has already lost ground at the Coast.
“It (ODM) can only win one governor seat if they are lucky,” he said.
He said in Kwale, all the sitting MPs are in Kenya Kwanza Alliance and have been campaigning for DP Ruto.
And in Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, Taita Taveta and Mombasa counties, Kenya Kwanza will win several MPs, senatorial and MCAs seats.
“All these votes translate to DP Ruto’s votes. We are sure of getting at least 70 per cent of the voters to vote for Ruto and Kenya Kwanza,” he said.
Philip Mbaji, who is vying for the Rabai MP seat on the UDA ticket, said Ruto’s visit is crucial in taking over the region.
“Ruto is coming to ensure he wipes out Raila’s footprints. We will not leave any stone unturned. We must deliver all the votes to Kenya Kwanza,” he said.
Between May and July, both Raila and Ruto visited the region at least three times.
The issue of transfer of port services from Mombasa to Naivasha, land problems, youth unemployment and the blue economy have always dominated Ruto and Raila’s campaign in the region.
Ruto’s team accuses Raila of being part of the land problems at the Coast, saying they (Kenya Kwanza) will buy more than two million acres of idle land in the region to resettle all squatters.
Ruto’s team has also vowed to revert the port services to Mombasa through an executive order once elected.
On the other hand, the Raila team has vowed to take back more than 2,500 acres of land owned by Ruto in Taita Taveta and resettle the squatters.
They said Ruto cannot solve land problems in the region and has contributed to some of the problems.
They have also pledged to return port services to Mombasa within 100 days in office.
From May 11 to 14, Raila made a four-day visit to the Coast, traversing Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi and Tana River counties.
Ten days after Raila’s Coast tour, Ruto also kicked off a four-day visit to the region to counter Raila’s influence.
He planned a series of 11 rallies in all six counties: Taita Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa, Tana River, and Lamu.
He held two rallies in Kwale, three in Mombasa, three in Kilifi, two in Tana River and one in Lamu.
He also held five economic forums in the five counties.
Last week in Likoni, Raila challenged Ruto to openly declare he will accept the election results if he loses. Raila said Ruto has sensed defeat.
The latest findings by pollsters showed the majority of Kenyan voters identify with Raila compared to Ruto.
“I want Bwana Ruto to publicly declare that he will accept the election results, even if he will be defeated,” Raila said.
The ODM leader said the recent opinion polls results are a true reflection of what is happening on the ground.
“When the polls showed that we were trailing behind Ruto, we used to accept the results. He used to be at the top, but we have since taken over the lead and he should accept,” Raila said.
Ruto has since dismissed the results of the recent polls saying they were sponsored by his opponents in the Azimio.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)