Ruto: Broad-Based Team Only Formation That Can Unite Kenya
Local leaders and residents who attended the launch welcomed the project, saying it will end years of isolation for communities along the lake.
Photo: Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
President William Ruto has defended the broad-based political formation, saying it remains the only political outfit with the capacity to unite the nation and deliver meaningful development to all Kenyans.
Speaking during the launch of the construction of the 31.8km Kalandini-Ka Elija road in Rarieda Constituency, Siaya County, the President said the broad-based team has a proven track record, a credible vision for the future and a practical plan to address the challenges facing the country.
“The broad-based political team is the only political formation with the capacity to unite our nation. It is the only formation with a proven track record, a credible vision for the future and a practical plan to address the challenges facing our country,” President Ruto said.
He dismissed alternative political formations as personality cults, makeshift coalitions and briefcase parties that lack both the capacity to unite Kenyans and a serious agenda for the country’s transformation.
“The alternatives are either personality cults, makeshift political formations and briefcase parties with neither the capacity to unite Kenyans nor a serious agenda for the country. Our nation is too important to be left in the hands of leaders without a plan, an agenda or a vision,” he added.
The Head of State was speaking at the official groundbreaking ceremony for the 31.8 kilometre Kalandini-Ka Elija road, a KSh1.9 billion infrastructure project that is expected to transform connectivity in Rarieda and the greater Siaya region.
The road, which runs along the shores of Lake Victoria, will improve connectivity, ease the movement of people and goods, and support key economic activities including agriculture, fishing and trade. It will link lakeside communities to markets and major towns, reducing transport costs and opening up the area for investment.
According to the Ministry of Roads and Transport, the project will involve tarmacking of the entire stretch, construction of drainage structures, installation of road furniture and safety features, and establishment of link roads to landing beaches and trading centres.
Local leaders and residents who attended the launch welcomed the project, saying it will end years of isolation for communities along the lake. For decades, fishermen and farmers in Rarieda have struggled to transport their produce to markets in Bondo, Siaya town, Kisumu and beyond due to poor road conditions, especially during the rainy season.
President Ruto said his administration is committed to equitable development across the country, noting that infrastructure development is at the heart of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). He said roads like Kalandini-Ka Elija are not just transport corridors but economic enablers that unlock the potential of rural economies.
The launch comes as the government intensifies its broad-based development approach, bringing together leaders from across the political divide to focus on service delivery rather than divisive politics. The President said unity is essential for stability and growth, and urged Kenyans to rally behind leaders who have a clear plan for jobs, agriculture, healthcare and education.
Construction of the road is expected to be completed within 24 months, with local youth set to benefit from direct employment opportunities during the construction phase.
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