For the first time since beginning his term as the country's fifth head of state, President William Ruto will on Saturday embark on an extensive tour of the vast Mt Kenya region.
The populous and strategic region was crucial in Ruto's presidential victory despite Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta having backed ex-prime minister Raila Odinga.
Besides the multiple development projects that the president is lined up to commission and launch during the five-day tour, his trip is of great political symbolism.
Ruto will for the first time access the strategically located Sagana State Lodge, a venue that was crucial in Uhuru's political schemes against him ahead of the 2022 general elections.
In a bid to exorcise the Uhuru's past, Ruto will on Sunday hold a mega prayer and thanksgiving service at Sagan State lodge.
It was at this venue that Uhuru on February 23, 2022 that Uhuru officially endorsed Raila after hosting at least three meetings at the Sagana State Lodge.
In this Sagana three Uhuru said ‘Raila tosha”."I'm asking you to support Raila Odinga as he means well for the Country. When "my young man reforms", we will consider him," Uhuru said as he appealed to his backyard to back Raila.
At the Sagana III meeting, Uhuru was bold in saying that Raila was the best fit not only for the Mt Kenya region but Kenya at large.
He later convened another final fourth meeting in July 2022 in which he put a strong case on why the region needed to vote for Raila and not Ruto.
Uhuru's high-profile strategy meetings against Ruto's presidential bid before August 9, 2022 general elections, however, hit a cropper after he failed to rally the region behind Raila.
And on Sunday, as Ruto will be storming Mt Kenya to stamp his authority as head of state, the clergy will hold special prayers to cleanse the State Lodge and exorcise it of Uhuru's ghosts.
When he took over power, Ruto also held special prayers of at least 40 bishops at State House as part of a religious ritual to dedicate it to God.
"After this service, there is a part two which may not be as organized as the first session.
We will ask 30 or 40 of our senior clergy to pray over this building and this residence, and the offices so that God can give us solutions for this country,'' Ruto said during a September 25, 2022 service.
"Do not leave after lunch, speak a word of blessing on these grounds and around this compound, even on the farm, everywhere! Those who can speak in tongues, please do so, so that it is known that the new tenants have arrived.''
The President will be storming the strategically located Sagana State Lodge at a time when he has sanctioned talks with the opposition despite his initial tough stance against dialogue.
Observers will be keen to monitor the president's messaging during the tour given that Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, the region's foremost political leader, opposed the talks as well.
Going back history, Uhuru’s Sagana meetings ahead of the 2022 polls came at a time when there was a bitter fallout between him and Ruto that caught Kenyans by surprise.
It was in Sagana one meeting held in January 2021 where former President Uhuru Kenyatta asked Ruto who was then his deputy to stop bragging about work that had been done by the government.
It was still at this meeting where Uhuru alluded that Ruto almost snatched his microphone during the launch of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) at the Bomas of Kenya.
"A certain person creeped behind me and almost snatched my microphone at Bomas of Kenya when I was explaining the extent in his involvement in the BBI process," Uhuru explained then.
The BBI however, flopped when it was declared null and void at the High Court.
The proponents appealed the decision at the Court of Appeal and later the Supreme court.
In the same meeting , Uhuru said that he didn’t promise to hand over power to Ruto once he finished his term.
“Some people keep saying I made a promise to them. No, I only have a promise and covenant with the people of Kenya,” he said.
“I have never said I will not support William Ruto; why do you keep insulting me? Yes, I said kumi kumi, yangu kumi iliisha lini? (I said 10-10, but when did my 10 years end?) Uhuru posed.
Uhuru’s Sagana 2 meeting he asked Mt Kenyan to wait for his signal first before making any rushed decision on who to vote for as his successor.
"I know you've seen them come here with small handouts to hoodwink you. Just eat their money but don't give them the doubt of deciding your political future for you. Instead, wait for my signal on where we would be heading to and whom to vote for,"he said.
