President William Samoei Ruto on Thursday took his development message to Kisumu, framing his visit to the lakeside city as part of a broader campaign to win over regions that have historically felt excluded from government power and resources.
Addressing residents at Kondele and later in Kisumu City, Ruto said the demands he heard from the ground were clear and consistent. “The people of Kisumu are clear in their voice: they want development, they want prosperity, and they want opportunity that reaches every household and every neighbourhood,” he said.
The President cast his administration as one determined to break with past politics of exclusion, insisting that government services and projects should not be distributed along political or regional lines. “They want to belong to a government that lifts all people and leaves no region behind. We are determined to build that future together,” Ruto told the crowd.
His appearance in Kisumu, a region long regarded as an opposition stronghold, carried clear political undertones. While State House described the visit as an engagement with residents, the tone and content of Ruto’s speech bore the hallmarks of a campaign pitch, centred on unity, inclusion and shared prosperity.
Ruto said his vision was of a country in which every Kenyan feels invested in the success of the state. “Our collective mission is a united and inclusive nation, where every community has a voice, every region has value, and every citizen has a stake in our shared destiny,” he said.
Local leaders allied to the government used the platform to urge residents to support the President’s agenda, arguing that development should take precedence over long-standing political rivalries. They said Kisumu stood to benefit from national projects in infrastructure, trade and job creation if it embraced cooperation with the national government.
Residents who attended the rally expressed mixed reactions, welcoming the President’s outreach but stressing the need for tangible results. Traders in Kondele said issues such as unemployment, high cost of living and access to credit remained pressing. “We have heard promises before. What matters is implementation,” said one trader.
Ruto struck a personal tone as he concluded his address, thanking Kisumu residents for their reception and energy. “Thank you Kisumu, for your welcome, your energy, and your faith. I love you,” he said, drawing cheers from the crowd.
The Kisumu visit comes amid increased public engagements by the President across the country, widely seen as an early effort to consolidate support ahead of the next general election. By taking his development campaign to opposition-leaning regions, Ruto appears keen to project himself as a national leader seeking to unite the country around an economic agenda, even as political alignments ahead of 2027 begin to take shape.
