President William Ruto on Friday hosted grassroots leaders from Bungoma County at State House, Nairobi, in a political move that comes as the opposition intensifies preparations for Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna's high-profile homecoming rally in the county later this month.
The delegation, led by Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, met the President to discuss ongoing development projects in Bungoma, with the meeting widely viewed as an effort by Kenya Kwanza to reinforce its political foothold in a region where the opposition has recently stepped up mobilisation.
The State House meeting came just days after Sifuna and his allies announced plans for a major political rally in Bungoma, which opposition leaders have billed as a platform to chart their 2027 political strategy and consolidate support across Western Kenya.
During the meeting, President Ruto outlined a series of government projects that he said are transforming Bungoma's economy and improving the livelihoods of residents.
"We are transforming the face of Bungoma through deliberate projects and programmes," President Ruto said.
The President said the government has committed KSh30 billion towards affordable housing projects across the county, including the construction of an 18,000-unit smart city in Bungoma town, 15 modern markets, and student hostels aimed at creating jobs and expanding urban infrastructure.
On healthcare, Ruto announced that KSh8 billion has been secured for the construction of a Level 6 hospital in Bungoma to improve access to specialised medical services.
"To enhance access to quality healthcare, KSh8 billion has been secured for the construction of a Level 6 hospital in Bungoma," he said.
The President also highlighted major infrastructure investments, revealing that the ongoing Rironi–Mau Summit Highway project will be extended through Eldoret, Bungoma and the Malaba border, a move he said would ease transport, facilitate regional trade and unlock the economic potential of Western Kenya.
Ruto further defended his administration's reforms in the sugar sector, saying they have restored confidence among farmers by ensuring prompt payment for sugarcane deliveries.
"Reforms in the sugar sector have uplifted cane farming, ensuring that growers in Bungoma County and across the country's sugar belt are paid well and on time," he said.
Political observers say the timing of the State House meeting is unlikely to be coincidental.
Sifuna's planned homecoming has attracted backing from several opposition leaders, including Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and former Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi, who see the event as an opportunity to reposition the opposition in Western Kenya ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The region remains politically significant, serving as the backyard of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, both key allies of President Ruto.
By hosting grassroots leaders led by Didmus Barasa, one of Kenya Kwanza's most outspoken legislators in Bungoma, the President appeared keen to project the government's development record while countering the opposition's growing political momentum in the county.
Barasa has in recent days dismissed attempts by opposition leaders to make political inroads into Bungoma, insisting that the county remains firmly behind President Ruto and the Kenya Kwanza administration.
The parallel mobilisation by both camps underscores the growing contest for Western Kenya, a region expected to play a pivotal role in determining the outcome of the 2027 presidential election.
With Sifuna's homecoming rally drawing closer, Bungoma is increasingly emerging as one of the country's most closely watched political battlegrounds, where development promises and political mobilisation are unfolding side by side in the race for influence.
