The President and his deputy made a triumphant entry into Kondele, Kisumu county with videos showing thousands of jubilant Kenyans jostling and pushing for space to catch a glimpse of them.
President William Ruto’s ongoing tour of Nyanza region has seen him open up on his tribulations and offer a heartfelt appreciation to Raila Odinga.
Addressing a sea of humanity in Kondele area where his previous visit ended prematurely after resident descended on his convoy with stones, Ruto could not hold back his surprise at the reception.
The President thanked opposition leader Raila Odinga for coming through for him at a time when there was the need to unite the country.
“Nataka nisimamame hapa Kondele nimwambie ndugu yangu mkubwa Raila Amollo Odinga, asante sana kwa kuwa mkenya mzalendo. Mtu ambaye anaelewa maana ya amani, umoja wa wakenya kwa kunisaidia niunganishe taifa letu,” Ruto stated in Kondele, Kisumu county on Saturday amid cheers from the crowd.
Hailing Odinga as a patriot, Ruto noted that the former Prime Minister put aside their personal differences in the interest of national unity.
“Nataka nimshukuru sana nikiwa hapa Kisumu for being a Kenyan patriot. For being a great leader, for putting aside our differences so that we can unite the country for the prosperity of our nation called Kenya,” Ruto added.
The President received an overwhelming reception that melted his heart and saw him revisit a past visit in which he was whisked away after being pelted with stones in Kondele area.
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Comparing today’s reception to that he received a while back, the President shared that he was pleasantly surprised and sought to confirm it was the same people he was interacting with.
He jokingly remarked that he did not know that the people of Kondele were good people, adding that he would report them to Raila should they give him a difficult time as they have done in the past.
“Watu wa Kondele, kumbe ni nyinyi? Niko na kesi kubwa na nyinyi watu wa kondele. Mmenitesa sana. Mkiendelea kunitesa nitawashtaki kwa Baba na mkizidi nitawashtaki kwa Mungu. Nilikuja hapa, si mnajua vile mlinifanya hata sikuamini ni nyinyi. Yaani nyinyi huwa wangwana namna hii?” Ruto stated.
After a turbulent last few months in which Kenyans took to the streets to demand for better governance and accountability with a section of protesters demanding President Ruto’s resignation, the Head of State appears to have received a lifeline by teaming up with the opposition to craft a broad-based cabinet.
This is the magic that appears to have pacified a restless nation and enabled him to make inroads into Kisumu, Migori, Siaya and Homa Bay counties as part of his development tour of the Nyanza region.
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The President received a hero’s welcome into what has come to be referred to as the “Raila Wall” that is one of the toughest areas in the country to crack politically without the blessings of Raila Odinga.
