President William Ruto received a warm welcome in Makuyu on the third day of his tour in the Mt. Kenya region. President William Ruto received a warm welcome during his Mt. Kenya tour. The locals, visibly excited to have the head of state in their neighborhood, eagerly responded to every question Ruto asked. The excitement surged when he promised to work diligently to ensure the development and improvement of the Makuyu area. The locals began singing songs of praise and celebration as he addressed them in their native Kikuyu language.
The song grew even louder as the locals appeared to warn former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua and others opposed to Ruto’s leadership. The locals further sang that Ruto is not someone to be joked with or taken lightly, implying that he should be respected. “Ruto is not a swing to swing with. If anyone plays with Ruto… Kirinyaga (Mt. Kenya) would be fiery,” the locals sang in their native Kikuyu language. This caused Ruto to stop his speech and watch the residents in awe, smiling and laughing, as he let them finish their song. Subscribe to watch new videos What promises did Ruto make to Makuyu residents? As expected, the head of state arrived in Makuyu, bringing gifts and promises for the residents.
President William Ruto addressing the public at a previous event. Speaking at the event on Thursday, April 3, Ruto announced he had approved KSh 40 million to fund the expansion of Makuyu Hospital. He also mentioned that local leaders informed him the residents wanted a branch of the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in the region. He reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring the facility is built. “I will release another KSh 30 million to ensure that a KMTC is constructed in the area. I want that contractor to start doing that job next week. He will be working to ensure the expansion of the hospital and the KMTC,” Ruto said.
He also said he made a pledge with the mama mbogas to ensure they work in a conducive environment. Ruto said the Kenya Kwanza government has committed to building 16 modern markets across Murang’a county as part of the pledge. He also promised to fulfill more of the commitments he made to the people of Mt. Kenya, in recognition of their support for him in the 2022 General Election. “Aren’t you the ones who gave us this job? Aren’t your votes what made me president? In 2027, there will be an exam, and everyone will come here to take it. Do you think I’m going to sit with my arms folded and wait to fail?” Ruto said. Governance expert Alfred Makotsi advised that; “While presidential promises often inspired confidence among residents, it was crucial that such commitments were backed by transparent implementation timelines and proper public accountability mechanisms. Communities like Makuyu had long suffered from unfulfilled pledges, and sustained follow-up would have been key to transforming political goodwill into tangible development,” he noted.
by Faith Chandianya
