Opposition leaders have accused President William Ruto of recycling old development projects in Western Kenya during his four-day tour of the region.
Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Democratic Congress Party (DCP) Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala criticised the Head of State, claiming he has re-launched roads previously commissioned by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Malala alleged that President Ruto has launched the same road project in Malava, Kakamega County, three times first as Deputy President under Uhuru, then after assuming office, and once again this week.
“There is a man who has come to launch roads in Malava the same road they are launching today. He previously came to launch it while he was with Uhuru Kenyatta and again when I was his party’s Secretary General,” Malala remarked.
Flanked by other DCP officials, Malala insisted that the government has a constitutional duty to provide infrastructure for all citizens, not as a favour but as a right. He emphasised that Kakamega residents also contribute significantly to the national tax base and deserve tangible development.
“We want roads, and building roads in Malava is our constitutional right, not a privilege. Malava people pay some of the highest taxes in the country,” he stated.
Malala further cautioned that despite the government’s development initiatives, the people of Malava will independently decide their political choices in the next general election.
President Ruto, who kicked off his Western tour in Butere by commissioning the 124-bed Butere County Hospital, also launched the Malava–Samitsi–Navakholo Road project, aimed at boosting trade and connectivity within Kakamega County.
In his address, Ruto dismissed opposition criticism, accusing them of engaging in divisive politics rather than focusing on development. He reiterated that Kenya’s transformation requires visionary leadership committed to unity and progress.
