Uhuru visits Kisii County on second day in Gusii region

President Uhuru Kenyatta launching the building of the 84km Nyamira-Igonga-Gesonso-Nyabioto road in Igonga, Bonchari Constituency on March 21, 2017. He will Wednesday visit Kisii County on the second day of the Gusii region tour. PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Gusii region overwhelmingly voted for ODM presidential candidate Raila Odinga in 2013.
  • Both Mr Odinga and Kisii Governor James Ongwae have dismissed the visits as inconsequential.
  • President Kenyatta will launch the construction of the Omoringamu-Kenyenya-Ibencho-Nyamasege-Ogembo-Motoni-Riongoro road.
  • He will then conclude the day’s programme with a public rally at the Gusii Stadium.

President Uhuru Kenyatta will Wednesday visit Kisii County on the second day of the Gusii region tour.

The visit is the culmination of a two-day tour that saw him address residents at Igonga, Bonchari on Tuesday where he launched the Nyamira-Igonga-Gesonso-Nyabioto road, followed by an inspection tour of the Ikonge-Chepilat-Chabera road at Magwagwa, Nyamira, and public addresses at Viongozi, Kebirigo, Nyambaria High School.

His visit is part of Jubilee’s charm offensive to woo the region, which overwhelmingly voted for ODM presidential candidate Raila Odinga in 2013.

Gusii region has been seen as a potential harvesting ground for Jubilee in the run-up to the August elections.

However, ODM has not taken the Jubilee forays into Gusii for granted, with Mr Odinga’s frequent visits to the region seen as determination to maintain his strong following.

Both Mr Odinga and Kisii Governor James Ongwae have dismissed the visits as inconsequential, saying the area remains an ODM zone.

ODM ZONE

“Gusii remains an ODM zone and no amount of visits by Jubilee leaders to the region will change our people’s decision to back ODM.

“The president can visit us any time he wants but that will not automatically translate to votes for Jubilee,” said Mr Ongwae when contacted by the Nation to comment on the tour.

Both Mr Ongwae and his Nyamira counterpart John Nyagarama, elected to office on an ODM ticket, have so far skipped the presidential event.

On Wednesday, the head of State will start by launching the tarmacking of the Kebuko-Nyangusu-Nyamache-Nyacheki road.

He will then attend a leaders’ meeting in Nyamache to launch the Nyanturago at the Musa Nyandusi Stadium.

President Kenyatta will later launch the construction of the Omoringamu-Kenyenya-Ibencho-Nyamasege-Ogembo-Motoni-Riongoro road.

He will then conclude the day’s programme with a public rally at the Gusii Stadium.