President William Ruto has unveiled a Sh4 billion plan to construct a smart city at Malaba in Busia County, as he secured the political backing of the Teso community ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The project will include about 2,000 affordable housing units and the dualling of the 20km Malaba One Stop Border Post (OSBP)-Kimwanga section of the Northern Corridor.
Ruto made the announcement on Saturday during a meeting with more than 1,000 members of the Teso community at Eldoret State Lodge, in what was described as the first major visit by an Iteso delegation to meet a sitting President since 1994.
That year, community leaders visited the late President Daniel arap Moi at his Kabarak home, a meeting that resulted in the creation of Teso district.
The latest delegation was led by His Royal Highness Emorimor III Papa Paul Sande Emolot and brought together political, cultural, religious and community leaders from Kenya and Uganda.
“Advertisement and construction of the housing units will be undertaken in the next two months. Completion of the smart city will create job opportunities and expand businesses,” Ruto said.
He said funds had already been secured for the expansion of the road, adding that the remaining section from Mau Summit would be undertaken later for the city to take shape.
The President also committed to tarmacking the seven-kilometre Amagoro-Kakapel road, the 55km Kocholia-Amukura-Butula road and the Amukura-Machakusi road at a combined cost of Sh3 billion.
He further pledged to complete the Angololo Trans-boundary Multipurpose Dam and Kengatuny Dam projects.
The projects are expected to improve water access, support irrigation and strengthen food security in the region.
In education, Ruto reaffirmed his earlier pledge of Sh15 million to Amagoro Comprehensive School, saying the funds would be released within a week.
“I want three more comprehensive schools from Teso South and a similar number from Teso North that will, each receive Sh10 million,” he added.
Ruto also promised to fast-track the upgrade of Okame Technical Training Institute to national polytechnic status once the necessary renovations are completed.
The President further promised to appoint a person from the Teso community as an ambassador, responding to concerns by community leaders over what they described as exclusion from diplomatic and Cabinet appointments.
He asked the community to identify a suitable candidate, saying an ambassadorial appointment would be an immediate priority.
“I will appoint one person from the community. Look for me a suitable person who meets the threshold for me to break that jinx,” he said.
The community has not had any of its members appointed ambassador or Cabinet Secretary since independence in 1963.
But the development pledges came against a backdrop of an increasingly political meeting.
Ruto urged the Iteso community to remain firmly within his broad-based government and support his re-election bid.
“The rest is yours. Matters Teso should not be planned in Nairobi but in Teso. With the community now firmly in the Broad-Based Government, I expect you to support me fully. God has helped me to have all of you in the Broad-Based Government,” he said.
The President criticised the opposition for what he described as attempts to block his development initiatives, including the affordable housing programme and the Social Health Authority (SHA).
He accused his opponents of having little to offer other than “levelling me one term” and urged Kenyans to shun tribal politics.
Earlier, Emorimor led a traditional ceremony during which Ruto was crowned a Teso clan elder and given the Teso name Ojokotau, meaning good-hearted, in recognition of his leadership, generosity and service to the community.
The ceremony added a cultural dimension to a meeting that brought together leaders from both sides of the Kenya-Uganda border.
Among those present were Busia Deputy Governor Arthur Odera; Teso North MP and Iteso spokesperson in Kenya Oku Kaunya; Teso South MP Mary Emaase; Tororo South MP Fredrick Angura; former Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong; and ACK Katakwa Diocese Bishop Vitalis Job Ekuru.
The ceremony was also attended by Iteso Cultural Union Deputy Prime Minister Fredrick Adungo and Teso North Clan Chairman Wycliffe Oprong.
For the Teso delegation, the meeting offered an opportunity to place development demands directly before the President.
For Ruto, it provided a platform to strengthen his political relationship with a community whose leaders have now been promised a raft of projects, appointments and government support ahead of the 2027 elections.
