KISUMU, Kenya Nov 24 Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has called on the people of Nyanza to be ready to pay the political debt owed to President William Ruto when he seeks re-election in 2027.
Wandayi made the remarks in Kisumu West, where he launched a series of Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) projects aimed at connecting villages to electricity.
Speaking during the event hosted by area MP Rosa Buyu, Wandayi said Nyanza had begun to feel the impact of development after joining the broad-based government formed by President Ruto earlier this year.
According to Wandayi, Ruto had demonstrated goodwill toward Nyanza long before assuming office, claiming that the President “stood with Raila Odinga” during the tumultuous 2007 period.
He framed this as part of a long-standing relationship that the region should now reciprocate.
“The people of Nyanza must be ready to pay Ruto’s political debt in 2027,” Wandayi said.
“In 2007, he stood with Raila to the point he was dragged to the ICC in The Hague. He did that because he believed in Raila’s leadership and believed in a united Kenya. Now that he has extended a hand of unity and development to our region, we must say thank you.”
Wandayi added that Nyanza had already witnessed meaningful progress since joining the broad-based government.
“Look at the developments happening across our counties, roads, electricity, appointments. This is the first time our region is fully integrated into the national development agenda,” he said. The CS says electorates in the region must come out in large numbers in 2027 and stand with the President as he stood with the region.
MP Rosa Buyu, who hosted the CS, called on the Energy Ministry to ensure that all households registered for electricity connections under REREC and Kenya Power are connected without delay.
“We want homes that have been waiting to finally get power,” Buyy said. “Let this process be fast-tracked so that families can enjoy the benefits of electricity, including starting small businesses and improving their livelihoods.”
Buyu also thanked President Ruto for what she termed a commitment to equitable development across Kenya.
“Since independence, this is the first government that has ensured equal employment opportunities and equal development in all corners of the country,” she said. “We are seeing roads, power, and appointments that reflect the face of Kenya.”
She pointed out that the venue of the event, Lwala Kadawa in Kisumu West, is home to Caren Agengo, the Principal Secretary for Children’s Affairs. Buyu said her appointment was a product of the broad-based government and a testament to Ruto’s willingness to tap talent from across the country.
“PS Agengo is brilliant; she excelled academically and professionally, but no previous government thought of using her expertise,” Buyu said. “It took a broad-based government for her potential to be recognized.”
The REREC program launched in Kisumu West is expected to benefit several villages.
