Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has urged political leaders from the Nyanza region to respect what he described as growing public support for President William Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Dr Omollo said residents had increasingly embraced Ruto’s leadership and development agenda, arguing that elected leaders should follow the people’s political direction instead of attaching conditions to their support for the President’s re-election.
He spoke on Saturday at Uhendo Beach in Bondo Constituency during a meeting with Beach Management Unit (BMU) leaders and traders from Bondo and Rarieda sub-counties.
“Our brothers and sisters from the Nyanza region have already joined President William Ruto to support his re-election, and now that they are already settled there, we as leaders are bound to follow them,” Omollo said.
He attributed the President’s growing acceptance in the region to his administration’s development record, arguing that support for his second-term bid should not be tied to political bargaining or preconditions.
Dr. Omollo cited the recruitment of 100,000 teachers, with a further 20,000 expected before the end of 2026, as well as investments in roads and fish landing facilities, as evidence of the government’s development commitments.
“The President was not directed to build a pier at Wich Lum or build roads in Nyanza. He travelled across the country, identified development gaps and came up with a plan to address them,” he said.
On the blue economy, Dr. Omollo pledged government intervention to resolve the longstanding fishing boundary dispute between Kenya and Uganda, which has contributed to tensions among fishing communities around Lake Victoria.
He praised fishermen in Rarieda for adopting recommended fishing methods and urged those in Usigu, Bondo, Kisumu and Homa Bay to embrace safe and approved practices.
The PS also called for improved security on the lake, saying Kenya Coast Guard officers needed adequate equipment and support to protect fishermen and their activities.
He added that discussions with Ugandan authorities were continuing in an effort to address cross-border tensions.
On cooperative management, Dr Omollo pledged government support for training BMU leaders and traders in savings and SACCO administration. He warned cooperative officials against misusing members’ contributions.
Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo backed Omollo’s remarks, saying the development projects undertaken by the Ruto administration in Nyanza over the past three years had exceeded expectations.
Odhiambo said the region had traditionally supported the presidential ambitions of the late ODM leader Raila Odinga but argued that Ruto had demonstrated a commitment to distributing national resources beyond regional political considerations.
“This is a region that largely supported my late Party Leader Raila Odinga for presidency but President Ruto rose above regional politics and embraced equitable distribution of resources, thus Nyanza benefiting,” he said.
The MP urged Bondo residents to maintain their support for Ruto, describing his leadership as a symbol of national unity.
The remarks come amid ongoing political discussions over ODM’s demand for a written 50-50 power-sharing agreement with Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), a proposal that has drawn criticism from sections of the political establishment.
Dr Omollo maintained that the government was implementing its 2022 campaign pledges through the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which aims to improve livelihoods and expand economic opportunities.
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