President Uhuru Kenyatta tours his Central backyard again

President Uhuru Kenyatta returns to Central Kenya this morning for a comprehensive tour of the region.

President Kenyatta, who has been under pressure from his backyard on claims that he had neglected the region that overwhelmingly voted for him, is expected to launch a number of development projects.

In a tour that was confirmed by State House Spokesman Manoah Esipisu, the President is expected to be accompanied by local leaders in the visit that would see him traverse Kiambu, Nyeri and Nyandarua counties.

Uhuru will begin in his home county of Kiambu where he is expected to visit Gatundu District Hospital and proceed to Kiambu Level Five Hospital where he will commission a recently acquired equipment.

He will then proceed to Thika to open the local Huduma Centre before wrapping up his day in Thika Hospital. The President is expected to address roadside rallies.

Tomorrow, the President will be in Nyandarua for the official opening of Nyandarua Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) at JM Kariuki hospital in Ol-Kalou.

On Friday, he will be in Sagana State Lodge, Nyeri where he will grace the closure of this year’s Kenya Schools, Colleges and Drama Festivals.

This year’s festivals have been ongoing at Kaaga Girls High School and Meru School and they are ending today.

And on Saturday, the President and his deputy William Ruto will head to Nakuru’s Afraha Stadium for a thanksgiving ceremony following Ruto’s mistrial at the International Criminal Court.

And on Sunday, Uhuru will head to Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha for a Cabinet retreat that will run until Tuesday.

“That is a provisional programme. But I can confirm that the President is expected in Kiambu tomorrow (today), but we will be taking the rest by the day,” said Mr Esipisu on telephone.

This will be the second visit the president is making to Central region after another hyped tour in the region in February ended on a low note with Uhuru opting to consult leaders in forums as opposed to public rallies.

In what was, however, denied by State House, it was speculated that the President was advised against holding public rallies due to a hostile ground.

The issues raised during the three-day stay at Sagana State Lodge have mostly been addressed and this could be seen as the reason why the President is returning to the region.

Immediately after the February tour, Uhuru appointed a task force to look into the ailing coffee sector. The committee is expected to hand over its report tomorrow.

During his State of the Nation address to the National Assembly and the Senate, the President also announced the waiver of coffee licensing fee to boost farmers’ income by four per cent. He also allowed the construction of two major road corridors that would traverse all the Mt Kenya counties before converging in Isiolo. On Monday, the Government re-affirmed its commitment to facilitate construction of the two dual carriage highways.