By Rodgers Omondi, Busia
Leaders in government have urged Busia residents to support President William Ruto’s administration, saying close collaboration with the national government will accelerate development and strengthen the region’s political influence ahead of future elections.
Speaking during a women empowerment event in Funyula, Busia County, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot said Busia had remained behind in development for many years because previous leaders failed to prioritize the interests of residents.
“Busia County has remained behind in terms of development because the previous leaders were selfish and never had the interests of the people at heart. This government has prioritized the interests of the people and created equal opportunities that have been lacking for a long time. That is why we have markets, roads, affordable housing and a stadium in this county,” said Cheruiyot.
He challenged leaders from the Western region to embrace unity, saying the region has the potential to produce a future president if it remains politically united and supports the current administration.
“The Mulembe Nation has capable leaders who can be at the helm of this country. The secret is supporting those in power now so that when our time comes, they will also support us. After William Ruto, we want to back a leader from the Western region, and this is possible if we unite and speak with one voice,” he said.
Cheruiyot further urged politicians to shift from confrontational politics to issue-based campaigns centered on development.
“We want to engage in development politics. When politicians come to you asking for votes, ask them about their agenda because some have none. We have seen people criticizing affordable housing, yet if we fail to embrace such programmes, we risk losing agricultural land due to unplanned settlements,” he added.
Presidential aide Farouk Kibet said the government’s empowerment programmes are intended to improve household incomes by supporting women, youth and organized groups to venture into income-generating activities.
“Our agenda is to ensure every citizen has money in their pocket. To achieve this, we are empowering women and the youth across different sectors so that they can improve their livelihoods and contribute to the growth of our economy. We want the women of Busia to invest in projects that will enable them to become financially independent, and the government will continue supporting them,” he said.
Farouk criticized opposition leaders for attacking government programmes without presenting alternative solutions to challenges facing Kenyans.
“We want leaders who empower their people and help them grow economically. We cannot continue listening to leaders who criticize everything without telling Kenyans what they would do differently. They should present their agenda and offer solutions to the challenges our people are facing,” he said.
He also urged residents of the Western region to maintain their support for President Ruto, saying such cooperation would strengthen the region’s bargaining power in national politics.
Busia Governor Paul Otuoma reaffirmed the county government’s commitment to working closely with the national government, saying the partnership had already yielded significant development projects across the county.
“We have been in opposition for a long time, which left our county behind in development. This government has supported us through infrastructure projects, roads, affordable housing and the construction of a stadium. As leaders, we have resolved to work together for the benefit of our people and ensure that development reaches every corner of the county,” said Otuoma.
The governor emphasized that unity among leaders would enable Busia to negotiate for more national government projects and improve service delivery.
“Working under a common agenda is what will move us forward. When we continue working together, we will be able to lobby and negotiate for better projects that benefit our people. Busia County supports the government, and we will not allow politics of division to derail our development agenda,” he added.
Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo said governors from the Western region had agreed to strengthen cooperation with the national government to accelerate development in their respective counties.
“As governors from the Western region, we have resolved to work with President Ruto based on the development he has delivered to our people. We have roads, affordable housing projects and stadiums not only in Busia but also in Vihiga, and we believe continued cooperation will bring even more benefits,” he said.
Teso South MP Mary Emase also defended the close working relationship between Busia leaders and the national government, saying it had enabled the county to attract key infrastructure projects.
“Because of the good relationship between our governor and the President, Busia is getting a stadium and more tarmac roads. As leaders from Busia, we cannot remain where there is no development. If we continue working together as a team, we will gain much more from the government and improve the lives of our people,” she said.
