Gusii MPs differ over location of varsity as Ruto tours region

President William Ruto laid a foundation stone for Kiambunyoru High School in North Mugirango Constituency, Nyamira County on August 12, 2024. [PCS] 

President William Ruto yesterday started his three-day tour of Gusii Region where he is expected to announce development programmes worth over Sh7 billion.

During his rallies, local leaders publicly disagreed on where a proposed university should be located.

The President kicked his tour in Nyamira at Kiabonyoru Mixed High School where he launched the construction of three of the 183 new classrooms and also declared a plan to establish a university at the school.

He said 44 laboratories and dormitories will also be constructed in 68 schools in four sub-counties.

The projects are funded by the Kuwait Government at a cost of Sh1.4 billion.

Ruto laid the foundation stone of the construction of classrooms at Kiabonyoru and Kenyerere DEB Junior Secondary School before launching last-mile electricity connectivity at Nyang’eni Village in Kisii County.

Ruto’s Nyamira tour is taking place amid division among the area leaders who have been pulling apart over the location of a proposed university.

At Kiabonyoru, the President was caught in the middle of a crossfire between North Mugirango MP Joash Nyamoko and his fellow MPs from West Mugirango, Kitutu Masaba and Borabu constituencies, after he (Nyamoko) accused them for backstabbing him on the issue of the location of the university.

Ruto declined to declare where the learning institution would be located, saying elected leaders from the county would agree on the ideal location.

“About the university, you will have to sit with your leaders and agree on where to establish the university,” he said.

But Nyamoko took the President head-on over his non-commitment on the location of the institution.

“Your excellency, I was with you in Kilgoris when we talked about the university and you remember we had agreed the college be set at Kiabonyoru. You are shying away from the truth which you know well will only leave me in trouble with my people because they already have been told that this (Kiabonyoru) is the most ideal place,” Nyamoko said.

The President’s response left local leaders divided even more, especially after he took sides with North Mugirango MP Nyamoko over the university saga.

Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gisairo told Nyamoko to stop undermining other leaders by appearing to be the only legislator who means well for the people.

“The MP says we have been insulting him at funerals. That is the same place he started the insults and so he should not cry foul,” the MP said.

Governor Amos Nyaribo said development was important than any issues that were being displayed by the leaders.

“If people disagree on why some projects have not gone to their people, then that is healthy. It this should not be personalised,” Nyaribo said. Present in the President’s tour were Solicitor General Shadrack Mose, Education CS Ogamba Migosi and several MPs from the region.