Will Ruto's new strategy to woo Raila's Nyanza turf bear fruit?

President William Ruto has embarked on an ambitious political and economic strategy to crack and galvanise support for his administration in ODM leader Raila Odinga's Nyanza turf.

The Sunday Standard has established that the president has identified key issues ailing the region and is crafting remedies that are part of his efforts to marshall support from the stubborn bloc.

His recent political and economic adventurism in the region has left tongues wagging over his ultimate goal in a region that is yearning for development and goodies from the national coffers after years of neglect.

Backed by a team of political contacts in the region that are on a campaign to weaken Raila's grip through sustained criticism over his influence in Nyanza, Ruto is a man on a mission.

All eyes are on whether his efforts to gain power and influence in a region where such have been in short supply for past regimes, as long as Raila opposed them, will bear fruit.

From his appointments that awarded the region key slots in his government to fast-tracking a number of development projects as well as his promise to implement an economic charter he signed with the region's professionals during the campaigns, observers are watching Ruto's moves through political lenses.

In the past week, senior government officials including two Cabinet Secretaries, Eliud Owalo (ICT) and Zacharia Njeru (Lands) have pitched camp in the region with an aim to fast-track development projects and Ruto's vision for the region.

In Kisumu, Njeru was pushing plans to establish a Kisumu Railway city and the construction of affordable housing envisioned by the new administration. He held meetings with Governor Anyang' Nyong'o.

And yesterday, for the second day in a row Owalo was in the region to distribute relief food while rallying the region to support Ruto's initiatives. Interestingly, some of the regions targeted by the relief food are not among those hit with drought.

"President Ruto's Kenya Kwanza government will serve all Kenyans without discrimination," Owalo told residents.

He addressed residents in Suba South, Nyando and Nyatike Sub-Counties after launching the distribution of relief food. The initiative also targets Raila's home county of Siaya.

Speaking at Nyangore SDA church in Suba North Constituency, Owalo said the government will construct fish processing plants in a number of beaches around Lake Vitoria.

"It is unfortunate that fish produced in Lake Victoria is processed elsewhere," said Owalo.

Among the goodies that Ruto has lined up for Nyanza include revamping the fishing industry, the blue economy and infrastructure and trade.

Barely a few days after rewarding his allies from the region with key government slots, Ruto announced in his first Cabinet meeting plans to construct a Sh1 billion fisheries project in Kisumu.

Although proposal for the project was made by Governor Nyong'o's administration before curtains fell on former president Uhuru Kenyatta's administration, residents believe the move by Ruto to prioritise it's approval in his first Cabinet meeting is a major statement.

Construction of the Sh1 billion Kabonyo Fisheries Aquaculture and Training Centre of excellence comes at a time when the fisheries industry has been on its deathbed.

Nyong'o said discussions on the Kabonyo fisheries project has been going on between the county and the national government for over a year.

But this is not the only project. Ruto's administration is also pursuing several projects including construction of affordable housing in Homa Bay and providing relief food.

Later this month, the president will launch the construction of 400 affordable housing units in Homa Bay.

In his Cabinet appointments, Ruto returned the powerful Interior and National Coordination docket to Luo Nyanza, 31 years after the exit of Permanent Secretary Hezekiah Oyugi in, 1991. In his heydays, Oyugi rose to become one of the most feared leaders in the country during the reign of former president Daniel Moi.

Ruto appointed his ally former Lake Basin Development Authority Managing Director Raymond Omollo as the new PS to take over from Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho.

He also gave little-known Alfred Kombudo who hails from Nyakach in Kisumu the nod to champion his Bottom Up economy by appointing him as the new PS for Trade.

The strategies are part of Ruto's complex strategy that is hinged on a bottom-up approach to creating ripples in Raila's political pond through well-crafted political and economic moves.

The developments, however, appear to have rattled Raila's troops who claim the president has weaponised development and is using skewed allocations to strengthen his administration.

Led by Siaya Governor James Orengo and Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, the leaders accused Ruto's government of using development projects as a weapon to woo members from other parties to join United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

The leaders, who were speaking in Rarieda sub-county on Friday during the launch of Ramba Fruits Processing Factory, said that they were in ODM to stay while insisting that all Kenyans have a right to benefit from development from the government.

The MP, who told off a section of Siaya leaders who had abandoned the Azimio La Umoja to join the ruling coalition, said they did so for selfish interest.

The lawmaker, who was also accompanied by Siaya Deputy Governor William Oduol and ODM Executive Director Oduor Ong'wen, said as a party, they can only cooperate but not submit to the government.

[Additional reporting by Olivia Odhiambo and James Omoro]