President William Ruto's development tour of the Gusii region comes amid an escalating political confrontation with his former deputy Rigathi Gachagua, who has accused the Head of State of failing to deliver on development promises and predicted an embarrassing defeat for him in the 2027 General Election.
In a statement posted on X, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader claimed the Kenya Kwanza administration had little to show for its four years in office in Kisii and Nyamira counties.
Gachagua accused Ruto of recycling campaign promises by memorising the names of villages and roads in the region, arguing that residents had yet to benefit from meaningful development in roads, water, electricity and airport infrastructure.
He also questioned the repeated launch of the proposed cancer hospital, claiming the project had been relaunched several times without tangible progress.
The former Deputy President further warned Ruto against interfering with DCP aspirants in the region, threatening a political backlash similar to what he described as the administration's previous embarrassment in Ol Kalou.
Gachagua projected that the opposition would replicate what he termed the Ol Kalou political template across all 290 constituencies in the August 2027 General Election, insisting that the electoral process would not be manipulated.
He also accused the government of intimidating public servants and misusing state agencies, claiming that dissatisfaction over salaries and access to medical care could influence how civil servants vote.
Gachagua's latest remarks follow an earlier exchange in Nyamira County, where Ruto launched a scathing attack against the former Deputy President, accusing him of extorting politicians seeking elective positions through his DCP party.
Speaking during a rally at the launch of the Riamoni-Nyangori Road and Last Mile Electricity Connectivity projects in Kitutu Masaba on Monday, November 9, 2026, the President described Gachagua as a "chief extortionist", alleging that aspirants were being forced to pay money to secure political opportunities within the party.
Ruto claimed that some candidates were being asked to pay millions of shillings, while even accessing a microphone at political gatherings allegedly attracted a fee.
He cited alleged demands of 100 million shillings, 20 million shillings and 50,000 shillings, accusing Gachagua of turning political opportunities into a money-making venture.
The President's remarks drew a sharp response from Gachagua, who dismissed his former boss's development record in the Gusii region and accused him of attempting to deceive residents through public rallies and handouts.
The exchange comes as Ruto continues his four-day development tour of Kisii and Nyamira counties, where he is commissioning, launching and inspecting projects targeting roads, electricity connectivity, education and market infrastructure.
The Head of State's engagements are also seen as part of efforts to consolidate his political support in the Gusii region ahead of the August 2027 General Election.
