Lead image for Ruto defends foreign trips in South Rift tour .
The South Rift region is increasingly becoming a battleground for presidential candidates ahead of the August 10, 2027 General Election.
President William Ruto kicked off a two-day tour of the region on Monday with a focus on Narok County, just four days after his ally turned fierce critic, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, campaigned in the area.
A week earlier, Jubilee Deputy Party Leader and presidential hopeful, Dr Fred Matiang’i, made a similar visit to Narok where he asked residents to rally behind him.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), which traditionally had a huge following in the region during the era of former party leader, Raila Odinga, appears to have ceded a lot of ground to the ruling party, Jubilee and Mr Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).
Dr Ruto toured Narok North, Narok South and Narok West on Tuesday, and he was expected to head to Emurua Dikirr Constituency, where he would be hosted by newly elected MP David Keter of his United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
This is the first trip that the president is making after the hotly contested May 14 by-election in which Mr Keter replaced former MP Johana Ngeno, who died in a chopper crash on February 28, in Mosop, Nandi County.
As leaders go on a vote hunt in the South Rift region, Narok, Bomet, Kericho, Narok and Nakuru counties are becoming major battle grounds for President Ruto and his opponents.
While addressing residents of Narok, Dr Ruto defended his frequent foreign trips, which have drawn a lot of criticism. The president maintains that the trips will benefit Kenyans.