• Juja Member of Parliament George Koimburi said the visit has been confirmed.
• He said the visit is purely to drum support for Ruto's presidential bid
Image: DPPS
Deputy President William Ruto is on Friday set to storm President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Kiambu backyard as he intensifies his presidential bid campaigns.
Ruto's visit comes a few days after he was on Tuesday endorsed by the UDA delegates as the party's presidential nominee setting the stage for a major face-off with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
He will be hosted by MP Moses Kuria (Gatundu South) and former Gatundu North MP Kigo Njenga who lost to Wanjiku WA Kibe in 2017.
Wanjiku is seeking to retain her seat on a Jubilee party ticket.
Ruto's first stop is expected at Ngenda Ward, where Uhuru casts his vote.
He will then proceed to Kimunyu, Mutomo, Kiamwangi, Mundoro, and Kiamwangi.
In Gatundu North, he will be expected to tour Gatukuyu, Kairi, Gituamba, Kanyoni, Gakoe and Kamwangi villages.
Speaking to Star on Wednesday, Juja Member of Parliament George Koimburi said they are ready to welcome him.
He said the visit is purely to drum support for his presidential bid while also meeting the grassroots leaders and party supporters.
“It has been confirmed that Ruto will hold a day campaign tour in both Gatundu North and South and he will be accompanied by hundreds of aspirants and party officials while in the region," he said.
Image: Image: MERCY MUMO
Among those expected to accompany the DP include ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetangula (Ford Kenya ), Senaor Kithure Kindiki (Tharaka Nithi, MPs Moses Kuria (Gatundu South), Kigo Njenga (Gatundu North aspirant), Kimani Wamatangi (Senator Kiambu), Wainaina Jungle (Thika MP), Kimani Ichungwa(Kikuyu), Karungo Thangwa (Kiambu) and Stephen Ndichu (speaker Kiambu county).
Others include Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira), Alice Wahome (Kandara), Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu) Esther Gathogo(Ruiru), and nominated senator Isaac Mwaura among others.
EALA MP and Starehe parliamentary aspirant Simon Mbugua has said that the DP visit in Gatundu South is expected to send a strong message to his opponents.
He said that this will be the first visit in the region since he left the Jubilee party.
“We are sending a strong message that we won’t be intimidated by anyone and we will reach out to our supporters in big number,” Mbugua said.
UDA party legal secretary Edward Muriu said Kiambu leaders among them Moses Kuria will lead the DP during the visit.
Already Moses Kuria has announced that he will seek the Kiambu gubernatorial seat and thus, the visit is expected to boost his chances.
Muriu said the DP has organized a series of campaign trails in the Mount region considering he has support all over the region.
“Deputy President has a series of events in Mount Kenya region, on Monday, he will be expected to attend Chama Cha Kazi national delegates’ conference at Bomas of Kenya,” Muriu said.
The party is allied to Kuria.
Jubilee Party vice-chairman David Murathe on Wednesday during a television interview questioned Ruto’s visit to the region.
He said the motive of the campaign tour in the region is to incite electorates against President Uhuru and his family.
“We already know the motive of his Friday campaign, why now after he left Jubilee? We as the Azimio, we have never campaigned in his village,” Murathe said.
Murathe said they will not allow the president to be humiliated in his hometown again following last week's event at Thika stadium.
Kiambu governor James Nyoro on Tuesday also warned UDA leaders of inciting the public and disrespecting the Head of State.
Nyoro said that Ruto’s brigade has disregarded Uhuru and undermined his office, which should be respected despite the political heat that is rising in the country ahead of the August 9, general elections.