Ruto courts Gusii in 2027 poll push amid Matiang'i's rising influence

President William Ruto is today expected to start his four-day tour of the Gusii region, an area where the opposition has gained ground.

The President’s visit comes two weeks after it was postponed, with his allies in the Gusii community citing a busy work schedule in Nairobi.

Attention will now turn to whether Ruto can regain political influence in the region and counter the growing momentum of Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Fred Matiang’i, who is widely viewed as a key figure shaping the Gusii community’s political direction ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Ruto is expected to mount a charm offensive in the region, banking on support from Kisii Governor Simba Arati and other leaders as he seeks to consolidate the community ahead of a tightly contested election next year.

Arati, a key ODM figure, has been positioning himself as the region’s political anchor and a potential point man for the President.

“As the Gusii community, we must speak with one voice. We must work with the government led by President Ruto to ensure that our region gets its fair share of development. Empty rhetoric will not be beneficial to our people,” said Arati.

He added that the future of the Gusii region depends on decisions made by its residents, noting that supporting Ruto would not only be a making a political choice but also a strategy for resource mobilisation and infrastructure development.

The president is expected to launch several development projects, inspect ongoing works and address public rallies as part of efforts to boost support for his re-election bid.

National Assembly Majority Whip Silvanus Osoro said Ruto plans to visit 11 out of the 13 constituencies in the  region and hold meetings with sectoral leaders.

“On Sunday, the President will mainly be in Kisii town and specifically Gusii Stadium, where he is expected to hand over the pitch to the KDF for a construction of a modern stadium at a cost of Sh900 million and also hand over a bus to Shabana Football Club,” said Osoro.

Ruto is also expected to attend the Mozart Bet Cup match between Shabana FC and KUTA Collection FC.

In the evening, the President is expected to host local leaders for a meeting at Kisii State Lodge.

During the five-day tour, Ruto will also inspect several ongoing projects, including the Kisii Cancer Centre of Excellence, Suneka Airstrip, Nyamira University at Kiabonyoru, a tuition block at Nyamira Primary School and launch economic stimulus markets in Ekerenyo and Ikonge towns.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, who conducted a reconnaissance tour ahead of the visit, said preparations were in top gear.

“We are here today to ensure a smooth visit for our President. Let us support him and prioritise development,” Ogamba said after inspecting projects in Nyamira on Friday.

The tour has been preceded by intensive mobilisation by the President’s local allies, mainly MPs aligned to his broad-based government.

The legislators have been urging residents to give the President a warm reception while avoiding any incidents that could cause embarrassment. Some leaders have also been courting support through cash handouts, alongside promises of future development projects.

One such example is viral footage of Nyaribari Chache MP Zaheer Jhanda distributing Sh1,000 notes to locals while calling on them to back the government. “We should all be agents of the ‘two-term’ re-election campaign and our lives will change,” Jhanda said in the clip.

Ruto’s visit to Gusii is also expected to stir tensions if he does not address concerns over the multi-billion-shilling Standard Gauge Railway project, amid claims that the region has been excluded from the line.

Over the past month, the SGR has fuelled quiet discontent within the region after it emerged that Gusii has no designated station on the railway network.

Dennis Anyoka, an advocate and political analyst eyeing the 2027 West Mugirango parliamentary seat, has moved to court to challenge the implementation of the Standard Gauge Railway project arguing that the exclusion of the region is unlawful.

However, Ogamba, during his Friday visit, sought to calm growing concern over the missing railway station, saying: “The President will be at Ikonge first thing Monday to confirm the station.”

Separately, President Ruto’s recent remarks targeting Matiang’i during his Western Kenya and Nyanza tours have sparked anger among residents, who accuse him of disrespecting the Jubilee Party Deputy Leader.

Matiang’i, who hails from Nyamira, was recently endorsed as the Gusii community spokesperson and enjoys strong grassroots support. His supporters are now demanding that he be accorded full respect in national political discourse.