President William Ruto has urged Nyanza region residents to refrain from protests as they are 'chasing away' investors.
Speaking during his official tour to the region on Saturday, the Head of state said both local and international investors are shy to invest in Nyanza, and instead opt for other parts of the country.
He said that from his foreign travels, investors are concerned about the demos that leave properties destroyed and sometimes, loss of lives.
“I have travelled around the world and come across investors. Nimepata watu wanataka kuweka vifaa vya utalii hapa kwenu lakini wameniuliza jambo moja…wameniuliza tunaskia huko kwenu ni mahali pa vita, vujo na mahali ya maandamano. Nataka wakati natafuta investors, we maintain peace so that investors come and we can grow our country,” he said.
“I don’t want to hear people are not investing in Homa Bay because of violence; kwani kuna faida gani kwa hii fujo? Hiyo maneno mimi nimekataa.”
The President also urged the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya alliance to stay away from politics whose main purpose is to destroy property and businesses.
“No investment is going to come to Kenya if we are violent people engaged in the destruction of property and business. We want to encourage people to invest in our country but we must also as the people of Kenya make sure we are a peaceful nation and a people that appreciates property and business otherwise we are going to lose investments,” he noted.
Ruto noted that every region in the country deserves development, adding that matters of politics should be put aside for the betterment of the country.
"Let us all observe peace and unity for the sake of our country's economy, that way our business will thrive not only locally, but internationally."
The president is in the region for a four-day official visit and has so far launched several development projects including the construction and rehabilitation of the Sh600-Million Homa Bay Pier, the roundbreaking of the Kabonyo Fisheries and Aquaculture Service and Training Centre in Nyando, Kisumu County.
In Siaya, Ruto attended the groundbreaking construction of a Level 4 hospital in Ugenya Constituency.
