Mudavadi, Oparanya lead Ruto's re-election push at Labour Day rally

President William Ruto led the country in celebrating the 61st Labour Day celebrations held in Friends Scholl Chavakali in Vihiga county . 1st May 2026.[ Benard Lusigi, Standard ]

Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives Wycliffe Oparanya has intensified calls for political support for President William Ruto’s re-election bid, urging residents of Western Kenya to back the Head of State and embrace what he termed ongoing development efforts under the Kenya Kwanza administration.

Speaking during Labour Day celebrations, the Cabinet Secretary’s remarks added to a growing wave of political messaging during the Labour Day celebrations, which saw several leaders use the platform to rally support for the President ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The event, which was expected to focus on workers’ rights and labour issues, instead featured repeated endorsements of the President’s leadership and chants of two-term slogan.

Mudavadi told the crowd he was certain of a second term for the Head of State, and called on residents to actively engage in voter registration exercises to strengthen the region’s political influence.

“For me, I am sure it’s two term. I want us to discuss what is the margin of two term,” he said.

He further urged leaders and supporters to ensure that future elections are peaceful and credible, saying he did not want a disputed outcome that could end up in court.

“I don’t want an election where it will be taken to court,” he added.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi at the Labour Day Celebrations in Vihiga County . 

The Prime Cabinet Secretary also encouraged residents to turn out in large numbers during voter registration, saying strong participation would enhance the region’s bargaining power at the national level.

His remarks were echoed and reinforced by other senior government officials who used the Labour Day platform to rally support for the President’s re-election bid.

Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives Wycliffe Oparanya urged Western Kenya to rally behind President Ruto, arguing that the region should align itself with others that had already embraced his leadership.

“We should embrace President Ruto as a region the way other regions are doing, but we want to assure the President that here in Western region, we are saying two-term,” said Oparanya.

He said the economy had stabilised under the current administration and pointed to ongoing development projects, arguing that continuity in leadership would ensure sustained growth.

“The economy has become stable and it is growing under the leadership of President Ruto,” he said.

Oparanya said the region should align itself with other parts of the country that have already expressed support for the President, arguing that political unity was key to securing development.

“We should embrace President Ruto as a region the way other regions are doing, but we want to assure the President that here in Western region, we are saying two-term,” said Oparanya.

His remarks were met with cheers from sections of the crowd as he openly endorsed a second term for the President, further deepening the political tone of the national Labour Day celebrations.

Oparanya also defended the government’s economic record, saying the country was now on a stable growth path under President Ruto’s leadership.

He pointed to ongoing development projects and infrastructure programmes as evidence of progress, particularly in Western Kenya.

“The economy has become stable and it is growing under the leadership of President Ruto,” he said, adding that continued support for the administration would ensure completion of key development initiatives.

He maintained that Western Kenya stood to benefit more by strengthening its relationship with the national government, arguing that political cooperation would translate into more development projects and opportunities for residents.

The speeches, delivered before a large gathering of workers and leaders, effectively shifted the Labour Day celebrations away from traditional labour issues such as wages, working conditions, and employment concerns, into a political mobilisation platform.

The event also saw other leaders openly encouraging support for the President, with repeated chants of “two-term” emerging from sections of the crowd as political messaging intensified.

What was expected to be a workers’ day focused on labour rights instead became a platform for early succession politics, with government allies consolidating support for President Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election.