Ruto returns to Raila stronghold

In his second tour of the ODM stronghold in a month, the DP will be selling his bottom-up economic model and the United Democratic Alliance.

He will visit Kisumu, Migori and Homa Bay over three days. An advance team led by Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi arrived in Kisumu on Friday and has been preparing the ground for the DP.

Dr Ruto has concentrated most of his Nyanza political engagements in Gusii, where he has made numerous visits to Kisii and Nyamira counties.

UDA deputy secretary-general, Mr Eliud Owalo, said the DP will meet youth leaders and professionals drawn from different backgrounds.

“The DP will espouse his revolutionary bottom-up economic model and articulate his development agenda for Nyanza,” he said.

Mr Owalo, who is also in charge of policy and strategy, is the regional coordinator for the DP’s political and economic programmes.

“The DP will undertake economic empowerment programmes for youth and women groups and meet UDA grassroots coordinators,” he said.

Dr Ruto will meet youth groups in Kisumu at 3pm, who are expected to present the region’s economic blueprint.

Tomorrow, he will meet boda boda operators in the morning, and later engage the residents of Kisumu at Kondele market where he is expected to donate a truck for a youth group.

Sources said he will also meet small-scale traders at Nyahera and later donate a school bus to Nyalunya Primary School in Kisumu East.

The DP will then head to Migori County where he’s expected to address roadside rallies in Rongo, Ranen, and Uriri before winding up in Karachuonyo in Homa Bay County.

On Thursday, Dr Ruto will visit Homa Bay Town, Muhuru, Sori, Masara and Migori Town. They will be hosted by Migori Governor Okoth Obado.

About a month ago, the DP was in Awendo where he was hosted by Mr Obado and former area MP Jared Kopiyo.

The governor, who is also the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader, has thrown his weight behind Dr Ruto’s presidential bid.

Apart from Mr Obado and Mr Kopiyo, local politicians in the DP’s entourage include former Rangwe MP Martin Ogindo of Green Congress Party of Kenya and businessman Polycarp Ocholla Kamili, who is in the Kisumu gubernatorial race.

Mr George Ayugi, popularly known as Mbuta, will head the Kisumu team.

Mr Odinga’s message to counter the DP’s bottom-up approach is being viewed as a way to lock Dr Ruto out of his ‘bedroom’.

During the ‘Sikri Declaration’, the ODM leader unveiled an economic blueprint for the region.

Mr Odinga said counties in Nyanza have suffered from economic setbacks and called for unity, reconciliation, tolerance and hope.

The ODM leader is addressing food security, blue economy, sports, education, youth empowerment, rural transformation, ICT and sports.

Mr Ogindo told the Nation that they plan to bring on board as many politicians as they can to the ‘hustler movement’.