President William Ruto is set to embark on a whirl wind tour of the Mt Kenya region starting Tuesday, six months after the ouster of his former Deputy Rigathi Gachagua.

His visit to the region comes at a time when the ‘Ruto must go’ chants have characterised public gatherings.  the growing chants have the   security apparatus worried  National Intelligence Service (NIS) boss Noordin Haji and the Chief of Defence Forces Charles kahariri warning that the slogan must be done within the confines of the Constitution.

Speaking on Thursday at a lecture at the National Intelligence and Research University in Nairobi, the duo delved into the political unraveling urging the public and Ruto’s critics to be tolerant to the government of the day and not condemn the country to “anarchy”.

“There is no spare part for a country, the way you carry one in the boot of car. We can’t have anarchy in the country. Even as we exercise our rights, let us do it carefully so that we do not do it to the extent of tearing up the country,” said Kahariri.

There are fears of of jeering of the President as has been witnessed at Kasarani stadium and Naivasha last weekend. There is also apprehension of the reception that awaits the President who has given the region a wide berth since his fallout with Gachagua.

To avet a chaotic welcome, the Head of State has in the last two weeks held myriad of consultative meetings with leaders from the region seeking to arrest to t the unrest beforehand. Sources intimated to The Standard that the leaders have continued to receive instructions on how to properly mobilize crowds for the attendance of the rallies.

On Thursday last week, Ruto met legislators from the Mt. Kenya counties at State House, where he also engaged on talks around the revamping of the agricultural sector in the coffee, tea and dairy farming, infrastructure development, affordable housing and fresh produce markets, among others.

President Ruto was quoted stating that the constant consultation with elected leaders provides the best platform for deliberation on and consequently implementing “transformative development programmes” that benefit the region.

And on Monday this week, Ruto convened a crucial consultative meeting at State House this time attended by the Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, governors from the region, several cabinet secretaries, and principal secretaries.

Sources familiar with the discussions indicated that the leaders reviewed several stalled projects within Mt. Kenya and urged the president to expedite their revival. A key resolution of the meetings was also that DP kindiki be dispatched to join Governors in the central region counties and rump up efforts in mobilization ahead of the president’s visit.

Kindiki was appointed as the point man who will lead engagements with governors and local leaders to identify key projects, which the president will launch.  He will also be in charge of pacifying the “ground” and ensuring that the President does not get any hostile reception across the approximately 20 constituencies that he plans to visit.

All this, efforts to deal with what has been brewing discontent and claims of betrayal from the residents who astoundingly dished out their support to Ruto in the run up to the 2022 general elections.

“The President is intent on proving that his visit to the region is not just for show but a conscious effort to ensure development within the counties there despite his fall out with the former Deputy Gachagua,” the source added.

Other leaders that have preceded the president  include nominated MP Sabina Chege who is rallying the youth in preparation of the President’s arrival.

“…Ruto’s tour is a fact finding mission which will assure the region of its investment in voting for Ruto. By inspection of development projects, the President will showcase that the region is still a key shareholder of the Kenya Kwanza administration,” said Molo MP Kimani Kuria.

According to documents in The Standard’s possession, President Ruto’s visit will involve the launch of key projects in areas such as roads, markets and housing as well as electricity. The launch of County aggregation parks and inspection of ongoing ones is also expected to take center stage.  

New and ongoing Projects under the last mile connectivity programme will also feature heavily during the President’s visit.

On the morning of Tuesday April, 1, Ruto will commence his tour in Laikipia County where he will launch African Development Bank(AFD)/European Union (EU)/European Investment Bank (EIB) projects for the county in Rumuruti. In the afternoon, the president will be in Nyeri County where he will be commissioning of Gikamba last mile electrification program in Kieni.

Documents from the Ministry of Energy indicate that last mile connectivity programs meant for Nyeri county total Sh805 million. They include the KPLC donor AFD/EU project valued at Sh436.5 million, the Government of Kenya (GoK) and KPLC project valued at Sh60.7 million and the last mile program by REREC at a cost of Sh308.5 million.

On Wednesday, the president will be in Meru county in the morning and Kirinyaga in the afternoon. The last mile electricity programs for Meru county equal Sh1. 2 billion while those for Kirinyaga total Sh412.3 million. Ruto is expected to make over seven stops on this day.

Thursday will see Ruto commence his visits by flagging off projects in Ol- Kalau Nyandarua county in the morning and others in Margawa Murang’a county in the afternoon. Last mile electricity programs for Nyandarua amount to Sh1.4 billion while those in Murang’a county are valued at Sh923.6 million.

Come Friday, Ruto will traverse Tharakanithi County which has programs totaling sh605 million and in the afternoon Embu County which documents indicate has Sh491.5 million worth of electricity projects for implementation.

The Head of State will cap off his tour of the region on Saturday by again visiting Nyeri in the morning and later in the afternoon, Kiambu county.

Interestingly, Ruto is also expected to introduce  the his newest appointments from the region to his Cabinet as a reward for the regions support. They include  Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, Lee Kinyanjui (Investment Trade and Industry), William Kabogo (ICT) and Mutahi Kagwe (Agriculture).

Leaders from the region have however elicited mixed reactions ahead of the Presidents visit.

‘The President is welcome to Mt Kenya region as many times as he wants-even 10 times a month. People won’t change their perceptions about him. If he is coming for development, we welcome him because mt Kenya deserves development projects. He will be giving back to a region that voted for him to a man and made him president,” stated Mukurweini MP John Kaguchia.

And former DP Gachagua who was on a tour of the Mai Mahiu- Naivasha region yesterday, urged the residents from the Mountain region to warmly welcome the President but warned them against falling for the President’s pledges.

“Get ready, money is coming bags. Take it but don’t go home with it, its cursed. Eat that money at the market. Do not mix it with the money you already have. If you have a loan with a shylock, use that money to pay it off,” he said in reference to the President’s planned visit.

Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro on Thursday commenced the launching of projects in his constituency ahead of the much-touted President’s visit. While launching the construction of Kenneth Matiba Comprehensive School, funded by the Kiharu NG-CDF, Nyoro reaffirmed his commitment to development over political rhetoric, emphasising that he will not engage in verbal exchanges with his political rivals.

“What overwrites the test of time is what you do and not what you say. With all the issues that are ongoing politically in our country, sometimes it’s also good that we speak through our actions and speak through what we are doing,” said Nyoro in what many have since interpreted as a veiled attack against Ruto who has been accused of making numerous promises which are rarely fulfilled.