Siaya Governor James Orengo has criticised President William Ruto’s planned tour of the Nyanza region, accusing his administration of making unfulfilled promises while failing to complete development projects.
Orengo, a senior opposition figure, said Ruto’s return to Luo Nyanza on Sunday would amount to another round of promises to residents who, he claimed, were still waiting for stalled projects to be completed.
“This Sunday, Ruto returns to Luo Nyanza to parade more empty promises over a trail of stalled projects,” Orengo said.
The governor also questioned the distribution of government resources across regions, claiming that Central Kenya had received a larger share of regional budget allocations compared with other parts of the country.
He argued that despite what he described as preferential allocations, residents in the region were also expressing dissatisfaction with the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“Even they are loudly demanding this incompetent administration step down,” Orengo said, as he intensified his criticism of the government.
His remarks come as Ruto prepares for another political and development tour of Nyanza, a region that has traditionally been a stronghold of opposition politics.
The President has in recent years sought to strengthen his administration’s support in the region through development projects, government programmes and engagements with local leaders.
Orengo further attacked the government over Kenya’s growing public debt, claiming that the national debt had surpassed KSh13 trillion without corresponding development gains.
“With national debt ballooning past KSh13 trillion and nothing to show for it, this regime has completely abandoned the rule of law,” he said.
The governor did not provide specific figures to support his claims about regional budget allocations or the alleged stalled projects.
He nevertheless called for Kenyans to unite against the government, signalling his continued opposition to Ruto’s administration.
“Count me in, it’s time for Kenyans to unite and send them packing,” Orengo said.
The governor made the remarks while acknowledging greetings from residents of Ahero, Kisumu County, as he travelled from the burial of Nehemiah Anyange Onyango, the brother of his friend Jamaasai, at Boya.
Ruto’s Nyanza tour is expected to attract significant political attention, particularly as the region remains a key battleground ahead of the 2027 General Election.