President William Ruto has embarked on another intensive development tour of the Western region, marking his second major visit to the region this year.
Ruto returned to the region on Thursday for a four-day programme spread across Kakamega, Bungoma and Vihiga counties.
During the tour, he is expected to launch key flagship projects in roads, health, housing, education and electricity access, and also meet local leaders in what State House says is part of a commitment to “unlock economic opportunity” in Western.
His tour began in Kakamega County, where he commissioned the newly completed 124-bed Butere Level 4 Hospital at 9 am.
The facility is expected to strengthen healthcare services in Butere subcounty and surrounding areas.
On the Affordable Housing Programme, the President directed that 10 acres be excised from Kenya Railways land to build 1,500 housing units in Butere Constituency.
After the hospital opening, the President travelled to Malava town, where he launched construction of the 22-km Malava-Samiti-Navakholo road.
The mid-morning event set the tone for a day dedicated to improving regional transport networks, a core pillar of his administration’s development plan.
In the afternoon, Ruto made his way to Pan Paper Market in Lugari subcounty to preside over works on the 34-km Turbo-Sikhendu road, before closing the day in Shinyalu, where he flagged off the 25-km Airstrip-Shinyalu-Chepsonoi road project.
Transport investments, he noted, will ease movement of goods and people across Kakamega and into neighbouring economic hubs, including Nandi and Trans Nzoia counties.
He also drummed up support for David Ndakwa, who is the UDA party’s flagbearer in next month's Malava Constituency by-election.
Ruto said Ndakwa is best placed to carry on the legacy of former MP Malulu Injendi, who died last February.
On Friday, he will be in Bungoma County, where he is scheduled to inspect and launch additional development projects.
Details of the Bungoma itinerary are expected to be announced by State House.
On Saturday, Ruto returns to Kakamega for a high-level consultative meeting with 6,000 local leaders at the State lodge, before heading to Hamisi in Vihiga County in the afternoon to launch the Kaimosi-Museno-Shamakhokho road.
Later that day, he will proceed to Ebukanga trading centre in Emuhaya subcounty to preside over the groundbreaking of the Ebukanga Technical Training Institute.
He will also flag off the last-mile electricity connection programme in Vihiga.
On Sunday, the final day of his tour, the President will attend an African Divine Church service at Gamalenga Grounds in Vihiga.
Leaders from the region say the tour signals the administration’s “focus on equitable growth and service delivery” and underscores Western Kenya’s role in the national economy.
The visit comes amid heightened political activity in the region, with Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza coalition seeking to consolidate support while opposition leaders intensify grassroots mobilisation.
