• Ruto will be in Nyamira on Thursday and in Kisii on Friday hosted by Deputy Governor Joash Maangi.
• On Friday, Raila will attend the burial of the father of journalists Calvin and Dennis Onsarigo at Igare in Bobasi, Kisii.
The greater Kisii will in the next two days host political heavyweights Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Ruto will be in Kisii and Nyamira on a two-day campaign from Thursday, while Raila will be attending the funeral of the father of journalists Calvin and Dennis Onsarigo at Igare in Bobasi, Kisii, on Friday.
The DP will be in Nyamira on Thursday and in Kisii on Friday to raise funds for boda boda operators and churches. His host will be Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi.
On Thursday, he will be at Kebirigo in West Mugirango and Miriri in Kitutu Masaba and on Friday at Kenyenya in Bomachoge Borabu.
Ruto returns to the area three weeks after a visit marred by protests and chaos last month. Scores of youths were injured when his supporters clashed with a group opposed to the visit.
However, he held successful rallies and fundraisers in Kisii town and South Mugirango.
ODM national treasurer Timothy Bosire confirmed the Raila visit. “I’m aware that our party leader will be in Kisii for the funeral,” Bosire told the Star by phone, adding that the Orange party was not bothered by Jubilee's number two sojourn in Kisii and Nyamira.
But North Mugirango MP Joash Nyamoko said Raila’s visit was out of panic in the ODM camp.
“DP Ruto has made serious inroads in Kisii and Nyamira. ODM is running scared,” Nyamoko, a key Ruto ally, said.
He asked Raila to engage in activities that empower the people of Kisii and Nyamira.
“Ruto is coming to fundraise for churches and boda boda saccos. Raila should also participate in activities that transform people’s lives. The DP has been empowering hustlers, women and churches across the country,” he said.
He expects the meetings to be peaceful. “What happened in Kisii three weeks ago is retrogressive and we don’t want it to happen again,” Nyamoko said in reference to the early September violence.
Apart from Maangi, Ruto enjoys a rapport with Kisii MPs Sylvanus Osoro (South Mugirango) and Alfah Miruka (Bomachoge Chache).
MPs Richard Onyonka (Kitutu Chache South), Oroo Oyioka (Bonchari), Ezekiel Machogu (Nyaribari Masaba) and Innocent Obiri (Bobasi) abandoned his camp in favour of Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
In Nyamira, the DP counts on Nyamoko, West Mugirango’s Vincent Kemosi and Kitutu Masaba’s Shadrack Mose.
- mwaniki fm