National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has urged residents of Western Kenya to register as voters in large numbers to support President William Ruto’s re-election bid in the 2027 General Election.
Speaking at Kimang’eti in Malava Sub-county during a fundraising event to purchase land for the construction of the Kimang’eti Technical Training Institute (TTI), Wetang’ula said the Western region should back President Ruto for a second term, citing the development projects his administration has initiated across the region.
He noted that thousands of eligible Kenyans either already possess national identity cards or qualify to obtain them but have yet to register as voters.
“We have many people with national identity cards who are not registered as voters. I urge all of them to register so that next year we can re-elect President William Ruto. The development projects he has brought to our region give me confidence to ask you to do so,” Wetang’ula said.
The Speaker highlighted the construction of two Level Six referral hospitals in Kakamega and Bungoma counties as some of the government’s flagship projects in the region.
He said the hospitals would enable residents of Western Kenya to access specialized medical care closer to home instead of travelling to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret or Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Nairobi.
“There are two Level Six hospitals under construction—one in Kakamega and another in Bungoma. Our people will no longer have to travel to MTRH or KNH to seek specialized treatment,” he said.
Wetang’ula also likened President Ruto’s political journey to the biblical story of David, saying leaders and residents of Western Kenya stood by him during the 2022 General Election despite the political challenges he faced.
He claimed that although then-President Uhuru Kenyatta did not support Ruto’s presidential bid, the people of Western Kenya remained firmly behind him.
“In 2022 we stood with President Ruto. His journey is similar to that of David in the Bible. Therefore, in 2027, let us stand with him again and elect him for a second term,” he said.
The Speaker further said the planned Kimang’eti Technical Training Institute would transform the local economy by creating business and employment opportunities for residents.
He noted that the institution would stimulate economic activity through small businesses such as vegetable vending, salons, boda boda services, and other youth-led enterprises.
The Cabinet Secretary for Health, who also attended the event, supported Wetang’ula’s appeal by urging eligible Kenyans to take advantage of the ongoing voter registration exercise.
He also criticized the opposition coalition, accusing it of promoting ethnic politics and opposing President Ruto’s efforts to distribute development projects equitably across the country.
The Cabinet Secretary argued that previous presidents Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta were never subjected to calls for serving only one term.
“But now, because it is President Ruto, some people believe the presidency belongs to one community. Even if President Ruto were removed, who would replace him? The one talking about shares? When he was Deputy President, he said Luo, Luhya and even Somali communities should not be in government or benefit from development. In the next election, we will defeat them by three million votes,” he said.
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa also urged residents to continue supporting the Kenya Kwanza administration, saying the county was already benefiting from various infrastructure and development projects.
He encouraged residents to participate fully in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)’s ongoing voter registration exercise and set ambitious targets for increasing voter numbers across the Western region.
Barasa said Kakamega aims to register 1.5 million voters, Bungoma 1.2 million, Busia 600,000, Trans Nzoia 500,000, and Vihiga 400,000.
He said achieving those targets would give Western Kenya nearly four million registered voters, strengthening the region’s influence in supporting President Ruto during the 2027 General Election.Will luhya speed up to support Ruto bid.?
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