Ruto and DP Kindiki keep low profile after 5-day Mt Kenya tour

President William Ruto and his deputy Kithure Kindiki kept a low profile yesterday after their five-day gruelling whistle-stops to reclaim the restive Mt Kenya vote.

Their aides intimated to the Star the two opted to have a quiet Sunday and only held private prayers with selected few members of their families.

The intense campaign saw Ruto traverse Laikipia, Nyeri, Meru, Embu and Kirinyaga counties, making sweeping promises.

He renewed pledges, which targeted infrastructure, agriculture and political unity, to consolidate the region - a crucial support base, ahead of the 2027 elections.

The President positioned himself as the champion of farmers, declaring an all-out war on exploitative cartels hurting coffee, milk and tea farmers.

“Our job now is development, not politics. When the time comes for politics, each of us will prepare for the race,” the President said at one of the stops.

He also promised the establishment of a Miraa/Muguka Regulatory Authority to end the woes of the farmers earning livelihood from the crop.

The government also pledged a Sh1 billion stimulus package for value addition for miraa and muguka as well as revival of Somalia and Djibouti export markets.

For the coffee sector, the President pledged a Sh6 billion debt waiver for coffee cooperatives and directed digital payments to farmers to bypass corrupt individuals.

The government also said it would consider construction of five new coffee milling plants to boost export value.

For dairy farmers, the government pledged to stabilise prices at Sh50 per litre and to procure new coolers for 200 cooperative societies.

The President unveiled an ambitious infrastructure plan, saying the government had set aside Sh5 billion to complete the Mau Mau roads.

“More funds will be made available over the next year to complete other roads in the region,” Ruto said.

He, among others, cited the planned completion of Nyeri-Nanyuki dual carriageway by 2026 and the tarmacking of Maua-Meru road.

Ruto also promised the Kirinyaga’s Kerugoya-Kutus road would also be upgraded.

“These projects and programmes are not only creating jobs but also addressing the priority needs of the people and driving socio-economic transformation at the grassroots,” he said in Nyeri.

For water projects, the President announced phase two of Thiba Dam to irrigate 10,000 acres and new boreholes for the dry regions.

Ruto also made bold job creation promises, including 10,000 Kazi Mtaani slots for Mt Kenya youth.

He also said jobs would be created at three new industrial parks to be established in Nyeri, Embu and Meru.

These would be besides jobs at the affordable housing projects at the region’s various municipalities.

For electricity projects, the President inspected the construction of 33kv substation in Maua, saying it will power 300 factories by June this year.

He also announced a 10-megawatt solar power plant in Mbeere and replacement of aging electricity lines, with a specific pledge that Mwea’s 36 rice mills would get a dedicated transformer.

These were besides the thousands of households (more than 43,100) that are set to benefit from Sh4.5 billion last mile connectivity projects.

Coffee factories would also be prioritised for last mile connectivity and floodlights installed in crime-prone areas.