Ruto giving Bukusu raw deal, Bungoma politician claims

As President William Ruto continues with his six-day tour of the former Western province where he is launching different development projects in the area, some politicians are raising concern on the magnitude and volume of projects that the Head of State is unveiling in the region as compared to other regions of the country.
According to a Bungoma politician Zachariah Barasa, the projects that the president is commissioning and launching in the region were initiated during his predecessor, retired president Uhuru Kenyatta, and therefore he wants the president to initiate new and tangible projects under his administration.
“When you look at a project like the hospital that he opened in Bungoma that was built by the World Bank – Mother And Child was not built by the national government yet he is here opening it without any contribution from his administration,” said Barasa in his office in Nairobi.
He added that the governor should be inviting the president to launch or open projects that have been funded by his administration so that the people of Bungoma can feel and enjoy the development projects of his government that they supported and voted for.
Barasa who is also an activist and businessman cited several projects that the president had promised to complete but so far nothing has happened including the Misikhu-Brigadier road, Musikoma-Navakholo road among others that he has challenged the president to channel funds towards their completion.
“In January last year when the president toured Bungoma county he was accompanied by the then CS for roads Kipchumba Murkomen and said that he was instructing Muurkomen to ensure completion of the Misikhu-Brigadier road but up to now nothing has happened and the president is back and s not saying anything about the road and other projects,” revealed Barasa.
The politician also cited Nzoia Sugar Factory where the president had promised to avail a new machine to upgrade the factory equipment that is now obsolete afte operating since 1978 but nothing has been mentioned on the same during his current tour of the region and county.
He also wondered why the president comes to the former Western province to attend funerals and church services but when he goes to other regions he goes to attend serious economic activities.
A case in point is his recent tour in Nyanza whereby Barasa claims the president launched projects worth over kshs 5.7 billion but in Western he launches farmers sugar bonuses, markets and hospitals built by other institutions other than his broad based government.
Sabaots get large share of government appointments in Bungoma
At the same time, Barasa who aspires to vie for the Bungoma gubernatorial seat in 2027, raised concern on the skewed appointments to senior government offices accorded to the people of Mt Elgon in large numbers as compared to the rest of Kenyans.
He noted that the president appointed a large number of his fellow Kalenjin Sub-trbe of Sabaots from Mt. Elgon in Bungoma county disguised as appointments for people of Bungoma.
“When you look at the number of people whom the president has appointed to senior government positions from the Sabaot Community of Mt Elgon, it shows how he is such a tribal leader and when he comes here he behaves like he is for all of us living in Bungoma county but in real sense he came to visit his fellow Kalenjins in the county,” noted Barasa famously known as Governor.
He cited some of the appointments in the region as mentioned in Cheptais by Mt Elgon MP Fred Chesebe Kapondi who told his constituents that the president really cares about that community in his administration.
Among the appointees is PS for health services Harry Kimtai, His wife Anastancia Kimtai who is the Managing Director of Kenya Commercial Bank – KCB Kenya, Deputy Vice Chancellor Maasai Mara University Professor Kirui Bulitia, Paul Famba CEO Public Service Commission, Kericho County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo, NACADA chairman Reverend Stephen Mairori, Caxton Masud consultant World Bank and Kenyan Ambassador to Turkey Leonard Boiyo among others.
Barasa decried the big number of appointments given to one constituency whereas the rest of Bungoma county that has nine constituencies has no such number of appointments in government combined even with the other counties of Kakamega and Busia.
No Cabinet Secretary from Bungoma and Trans Nzoia
To add salt to injury Barasa further pointed out that at the moment the counties of Bungoma and Trans Nzoia have no cabinet secretary in president ruto’s government apart from Wycliffe Oparanya and Dr Deborah Barasa who hail from Kakamega County and Musalia Mudavadi from Vihiga county.
With all the above raised issues and many others not listed here, Barasa concluded that president Ruto is only using the larger Bukusu community in Bungoma and Trans Nzoia and larger Luhya community to secure his second term in office come 2027 but does not have their interest at heart.