The Presidential Escort Unit guarding President Uhuru Kenyatta at an event in 2018
FILE
Counties Uhuru Has Not Visited Since 2017 Campaigns
Ever since President Uhuru Kenyatta secured his second term as the Head of State on October 30, 2017, he has toured almost every corner of the republic to kickstart projects among other things.
However, there are at least 11 counties that the president has always seemed to bypass during his countless tours.
The last time he was pictured speaking to wananchi in these 11 counties was during the 2017 campaign period.
A lot has changed since then, with the Jubilee Party battling internal wrangles, Nasa all but dead and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga the president’s new partner.
Majority of Kenyan politicians have created a reputation of interacting with their constituents a year or so before an election, and disappearing for the next 4 or so years.
Here is a brief break down of counties that the president last visited during the ‘wembe ni ule ule’ wave.
Makueni
The last time President Uhuru met the residents of Makueni at a rally was on August 2, 2017.
It was a pretty heated affair at the Unoa grounds in Wote Town.
He called upon the Kamba community to support his re-election bid for a second five-year term, exuding confidence in a Jubilee regime that he says has outdid its predecessors in terms of rolling development projects in the country.
However, the Head of State faced some hard times when a section of residents in attendance started expressing displeasure by chanting the opposition National Super Alliance (Nasa) slogans.
Vihiga
In June 2017, President Uhuru visited Raila’s backyard in a bid to drum up support for his re-election.
He pledged to give Ksh 400 million for the establishment of the school of medicine at the refurbished Jumuia Friends Hospital Kaimosi.
In addition, he assured the residents that his administration would improve the region’s infrastructure, including supply of water and energy to communities.
Wajir
In April 2017, the Head of State made his way to the north-eastern region in his bid to secure his second stint as president.
His rally was briefly disrupted after angry youth engaged the police who were manning the area.
The youth, who were chanting anti-Jubilee slogans, disrupted the meeting at the Wajir Grounds forcing the president to intervene by ordering his police escort to arrest police officers who were barring the youth from accessing the area he was seated.
In his address, Uhuru announced that the government would use Ksh 23 billion in the construction of Bute dam to address the water shortage in the county and that Ksh9 billion had also been invested in water supply and sewerage system for Wajir county.
West Pokot
Following the nullification of the election results by Chief Justice David Maraga, the President and his deputy made their way to West Pokot in September 2017, and urged the residents to ensure that the re-run would result in a resounding victory.
During this period they visited 2 other counties with the same message namely Tharaka Nithiand Embu.
Trans Nzoia
Once again, President Uhuru tried to make inroads into Raila’s stronghold area when he visited the county in July 2017.
It was busy month for the Jubilee presidential candidate as he visited 3 other counties within the same month. They were: Nyamira, Migori, Mandera and Isiolo.
However, he is yet to head back to address the people since, with most of his meetings with leaders from the regions conducted in his office in Nairobi.
In his defence, the President has been known to send Deputy President William Ruto across the counties to check on the progress of the various development projects that the Jubilee government had promised to deliver.