Ruto cuts short his Coast tour, interacts less with public, leaders

President William Ruto after his arrival for the Mashujaa day celebration at Kwale Stadium in Kwale County. [Kelvin Karani, Standard]

President William Ruto cut short his tour of development projects at the Coast region and flew back to Nairobi after the Mashujaa Day celebrations in Kwale Stadium.

Sources said Ruto deferred all the planned events in Mombasa, including the launch of the construction of affordable housing units at the VOK area and a visit to the Port of Mombasa.

In stark contrast to his past visit, Ruto did not have any public engagements; his access was restricted, and his address was limited to the written English speech.

Meanwhile, his political allies and hangers-on who would throng Moi International Airport to welcome him were no show. The programme at the Mashujaa Day celebration was also rushed.

From the airport, his motorcade sneaked through the Port of Mombasa, avoiding crowded Changamwe areas, where he always addresses people whenever he lands in the Coast region. The president was picked by a military chopper after his 43-minute address in Kwale.

He arrived at the stadium 15 minutes earlier from the newly built Kwale mini-state lodge to the surprise of many. Soldiers hurriedly mounted the parade barely minutes before he arrived.

According to the programme, Ruto was scheduled to arrive at the Stadium at 10:15 am, but he did at 9:50 am. Unlike in the past, he did not interact freely with Kenyans amid tight security.

Ruto, known for his eloquence in a long off-the-cuff Kiswahili speech, restricted his address to written speech. But he outlined his plan for the landless in a short off-the-cuff speech in Kiswahili.

Sources said the president met a section of Coast leaders briefly at the Kwale State Lodge. However, leaders who traditionally escort him, like Nyali MP Mohamed Ali were no show.

It is not clear why the celebration and Ruto programme were altered. On Monday, impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua claimed he planned to fly to Kwale to attend the fete.

Gachagua, who described Ruto as his brother, blamed the President for his predicaments, alleging that in the last year, he had been persecuted for allegedly telling him the truth.

Gachagua said that he was still in office by dint of the High Court order, and he planned to attend the Mashujaa Day fete, but all firms that operate helicopters were instructed not to lend him one.

“Wilson Airport had been instructed not to allow me to use the facility, so were all officers manning the facility,” said Gachagua, claiming that there was a concerted effort to stop him from flying to Kwale.

At Kwale, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki sat at the third seat on the left of the president after First Lady Rachel Ruto. The seat is always reserved for the DP. The master of ceremony introduced him second after the president, and then Prime Cabinet Secretary was third.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Martha Koome and her deputy Philomena Mwilu were conspicuously absent. As the head of the third arm of government, the CJ is expected to attend national celebrations. Most ambassadors did not grace the occasion, and the few who attended were not recognised in the rushed programme.

Despite the presence of the DP-elect, Mudavadi invited Ruto to address the country. Mudavadi, however, recognised the presence of Kindiki, whom he called the DP in waiting.