President Uhuru Kenyatta takes Kisumu by storm

President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses residents of Kisumu at Oginga Odinga Street after attending the Music Festivals at Kisumu’s State House on Friday. [PHOTO: TITUS MUNALA/STANDARD]

President Uhuru Kenyatta Friday took Kisumu city by storm when he landed in the lakeside region to officially close the 89th edition of the National Music Festival.

The President touched down at about 10.30am to an ecstatic reception, with thousands of residents chanting ululations of Uhuru Tena (Uhuru again) as the presidential motorcade drove through Kisumu’s busiest Oginga Odinga Street.

The residents began milling the street as early as 9am, abandoning their businesses in anticipation of Uhuru’s entourage from the Kisumu International Airport.

The jubilant residents who had blocked the street to be addressed by the president were however disappointed when he went straight to the Kisumu State Lodge, promising to address them after the fete.

The locals carrying posters and banners bearing pro-Uhuru and the National Youth Service slogans were forced to march from the street, through Jomo Kenyatta highway to the State Lodge, just to catch a glimpse of the country’s most powerful man.

Opposition zone

“Ouru biro, yawne yo (Give way, Uhuru is coming),” they sung. At some point, they engaged in bitter exchange with security officers who restrained them from gaining access to the State Lodge. “Hatutaki vita, tunataka Ouru . Hatutaki vita tunataka Baba (We don’t want war, we want Uhuru,” they chanted.

Kisumu is an Opposition zone, where former Prime Minister Raila Odinga is considered the political supremo. This is the first time Uhuru is hosted at State House Kisumu. It is also the third time in four months that the president is visiting the city, trips which observers say are meant to win over the Nyanza and Western Opposition voting blocs.

At the fete, Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma and his Deputy Ruth Oginga enjoyed a rare camaraderie at the event and were seen conversing throughout the session as they sat next to each other. Unlike during the second annual devolution conference held in Kisumu in April where Ranguma failed to acknowledge Ruth, this time he called her to speak.

When she woke up, she reminded Kenyatta of their childhood activities and called on him to support women. “Welcome home Mr President. I remember our days when we were young. We played together here at State House and at our homes at Milimani here in Kisumu. So feel at home,” Ruth said.

She added, “We at the counties have met the one-third gender law as enshrined in the Constitution. Please lead us in making sure that Parliament meets the same so that more women are in leadership positions.”

Ranguma called on the president to help revive stalled industries in the region like Kicomi, Kenya Breweries and Miwani to help the area grow economically.

“Continue visting Kisumu because we want the city to grow. You can even hold Cabinet meetings here at State House so that we get to interact with the Cabinet secretaries more. Help us revive these industries so that our people can engage in income generating activities,” Ranguma said.

Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura appealed to the President to transfer all security personnel in Kisumu to help curb insecurity. “We are experiencing the worst era of insecurity. Many people are killed, maimed and property lost. We are aware that some of the police officers collude with thugs to steal from wananchi. Let us overhaul the security system here to curb the vice,” Obura said.

The MP called on the president and education officials present to help Kisumu acquire a charter so that it can enjoy its full status.