Ruto allies in Gusii in a spot over road projects

President William Ruto chats with Kisii Governor Simba Arati during a religious function in Kisii County on August 20, 2023. [File, Standard]

President William Ruto’s allies in Kisii and Nyamira counties are under pressure after the region missed out on major development projects rolled out by the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA).

In the current financial year, Nyamira County, for example, did not receive any allocation for road projects. Residents say the development has cast doubt on the region’s political support for President Ruto.

Nyamira Woman MP Jerusha Momanyi and MPs Joash Nyamoko (North Mugirango) and Stephen Mogaka (West Mugirango) have, since Ruto assumed office, been at the forefront of declaring their support for his re-election.

In Kisii County, all elected legislators—except Senator Richard Onyonka and MPs Obadiah Barongo (Bomachoge Borabu), Innocent Obiri (Bobasi) and Anthony Kibagendi (Kitutu Chache South)—support the President’s re-election bid. Onyonka and his allies have aligned themselves with former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, who has declared his intention to run for president.

The pro-Ruto team, which includes Kisii Governor Simba Arati,  has been traversing Kisii and Nyamira counties, arguing that their support for the President is based on his power to deliver development.

“Ruto is our President, and he is the one who dispenses development to Kenyans. He is like a lactating cow which we cannot wish away in favour of our heifer (Matiang’i), which has not shown signs of producing milk any time soon. Let us support the President so that he can give us development projects,” Arati has said on several public occasions.

However, politicians backing Ruto’s re-election are now struggling to explain to residents why the promised development projects have not materialised.

Over the last six months of the 2025/26 national budget cycle, Nyamira did not receive a single road project, while counties such as Homa Bay, Uasin Gishu, Siaya, Kisumu, Kericho and Migori received more than 30 projects each, spread across about six procurement cycles.

South Mugirango Constituency, where National Assembly Majority Chief Whip Sylvanus Osoro hails from, has also benefited from numerous project allocations during the same period, unlike other areas that are yet to receive consideration.

Responding to the concerns, Momanyi blamed opposition politics in the Gusii region for the slowed pace of development.

“Most of the development we see that are not well aligned to the Gusii region were undertaken before Matiang’i swept the area with the opposition wave. We are still appealing to the President to allocate more resources to us,” she said.

Nyamoko agreed, saying the community had not been taken seriously due to its political stand.

“Communities that have prospered have always aligned themselves with the government. That has not been the case with Gusii,” he said.

Mogaka said the government remained committed to the Gusii people and that development should not be measured solely by road projects.

“The government is doing a lot in terms of electricity and the Affordable Housing Projects,” he said.

However, Senator Onyonka criticised what he described as skewed development allocations that excluded certain regions.

“People pay taxes equally and without discrimination. Government services should also be provided equitably, regardless of political alignment,” he said.