People's wrath: Ichung'wah, Kiunjuri face backlash during Ruto's Mt Kenya tour

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah speaking in Ol Kalou in Nyandarua county on April 03, 2025 where he was heckled by residents during President William Ruto's Mt Kenya Tour. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] President William Ruto's allies in Mt Kenya were met with public anger during the third day of his regional tour. Kimani Ichung'wah, the Kikuyu MP and Leader of Majority in the National Assembly, was the first to confront the crowd's ire when the President handed him the microphone to speak at Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County, where the tour began yesterday. As Ichung'wah took the mic, he was immediately booed. The crowd, which had earlier listened attentively to ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo, turned hostile towards the Kikuyu MP. Amid the jeers, Ichung'wah was heard retorting, "No one can scare me" in Kikuyu. Despite his attempts to calm the crowd, they remained unyielding, making it impossible for him to continue his address. At the next stop, Engineer Town in North Kinangop, Ichung'wah was not given an opportunity to speak. The President did not even mention him. Ichung'wah was part of a group of leaders accompanying Ruto on the five-day Mt Kenya region tour. Others in the entourage included Deputy President Kindiki Kithure, Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha, MPs Mwangi Kiunjuri (Laikipia East), David Kiaraho (Ol Kalou), George Gachagua (Ndaragua), and Woman Rep Faith Gitau. Cabinet Secretaries Opiyo Wandayi (Energy), Rebecca Miano (Tourism), Kabogo (ICT), and Julius Ogamba (Education) were also present, alongside a number of principal secretaries. Nyandarua Woman Rep Faith Gitau was not spared when it was her turn to address the crowd. She was heckled in both Ol Kalou and Engineer Town. Nonetheless, she pressed on with a brave face, addressing the residents. "I want to tell you one thing, Mr President: do not listen to the noise. We have one problem, the issue of insecurity, and we need more than 50 security vehicles," she said amidst the jeers. The crowd appeared to be hostile towards leaders from the region who had criticised former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and had supported his impeachment last October. While Gitau and Ichung'wah at least managed to speak complete sentences despite the heckling, Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri could not last more than five seconds after being handed the microphone. The booing forced him to quip, "God bless you all" in Kikuyu before quickly handing back the mic. Meanwhile, in Nairobi, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, a Gachagua ally who had accompanied the President earlier in the tour, distanced himself from the Kenya Kwanza administration. Speaking at a Council of Governors event, Kahiga said that while the Mt Kenya region was happy to host the President, their opinion on his government had not changed. "We would like him to keep coming because we benefit when he does. But our position remains the same," he stated. He further noted that the people of the region do not loudly express their frustrations and calmly welcome visitors even when they are unhappy about them. "When we were informed that the President was coming, we came out in large numbers to welcome him," he added. Kahiga also dismissed the President's claim to be the "king of the mountain," stating that Ruto is the national king. "Mlima ina wenyewe," he said (the mountain has its owners). Some residents of Ol Kalou told The Standard that they refrained from heckling the President due to the heavy security presence. During his visit to Ol Kalou, the President commissioned several development projects, including the Ol Kalou water project, the J.M. Memorial Hospital Complex, Last Mile Connectivity, and a sewerage project in the constituency. He also laid the foundation stone for the construction of affordable housing in Ol Kalou town. The national government, Ruto said, had taken over the completion of J.M. Kariuki Hospital, which had been stalled at 48 per cent completion due to lack of funds from Nyandarua County Government. He announced that the hospital would be finished by the end of the year, requiring an additional Sh800 million for completion. "Your leaders, led by the Governor, came to me and asked that the National Government help in completing the J.M. Kariuki Memorial Hospital," Ruto said. He also revealed that Sh958 million had been allocated for road construction in Nyandarua County. The President launched a Sh1.6 billion Last Mile Connectivity programme, which will benefit over 14,000 households. He added that MPs and ward representatives would help identify areas still without electricity. Ruto directed Energy Cabinet Secretary Wandayi to secure an additional Sh400 million to ensure another 6,000 families are connected to the grid. Plans were also announced to establish a public university in Nyandarua County, with student enrolment expected to begin in September. The university will be managed by the University of Nairobi. Ruto confirmed that Nyandarua University had been gazetted last Friday. Additionally, the government is constructing eight new modern markets in the county, which are expected to be completed by the end of the year. Ruto also instructed the Nyandarua County Commissioner to investigate allegations of land grabbing in the area and present a report within two weeks. This comes after residents claimed that a portion of county-owned quarry land had been taken over by private developers. Kindiki reaffirmed his support for the President, stating that he would continue working with all ministries and agencies to ensure the Kenya Kwanza agenda is realised. He dismissed critics who, he said, had nicknamed him Mr Yes Sir deputy. "Ruto, for ten years, said yes sir to Uhuru Kenyatta and succeeded him. Allow me to assist Ruto and say yes sir as well," he said. Governor Badilisha praised the President's intervention on land grabbing, noting that part of railway land had been seized by private developers. Attempts to acquire a portion for a market had been unsuccessful, he said. He urged the government to increase subsidised fertiliser supplies to farmers in the county. Additional reporting by Okumu Modachi and Boniface Gikandi

People's wrath: Ichung'wah, Kiunjuri face backlash during Ruto's Mt Kenya tour

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People's wrath: Ichung'wah, Kiunjuri face backlash during Ruto's Mt Kenya tour

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