President William Ruto's four-day tour of Kisii and Nyamira counties, which had been scheduled for last weekend, was called off at the last minute, with local leaders asking for more time to complete stalled projects amid rivalry over who gets closest to the Head of State, according to the Daily Nation.

The tour was to run from Friday, October 23, to Monday, October 26, starting in Nyamira before moving to Kisii. Kisii Governor Simba Arati had announced it publicly: "This weekend, the President will be around for four days," the Nation quoted him as saying. No new dates have been given.

"Put our house in order"

North Mugirango MP Joash Nyamoko, who chairs the Gusii MPs caucus, told the Nation that legislators had asked the President to hold off so they could finish pending programmes before he arrived. "But we pleaded with him to give us more time due to pending programmes," Nyamoko said, adding that the MPs wanted to put their house in order first.

The paper's sources, however, pointed to deeper problems: supremacy battles among local leaders jostling for proximity to the President, disagreements within his own team over the agenda, and frustration over promises from his last visit in April that are yet to be fulfilled. Construction of the Suneka Airstrip has not started, with residents saying contractors left the site after Ruto's April tour, while a pledged upgrade of Suneka Market has also stalled.

Serena meeting that rattled Matiang'i allies

Before the postponement, leaders allied to the broad-based government held a closed-door meeting at Nairobi's Serena Hotel to plan the visit. The Nation said it was led by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and Governor Arati and attended by, among others, Deputy Chief of Staff Josphat Nanok and UDA National Treasurer Japheth Nyakundi.

According to The Star, the meeting also drew Nyamira Woman Representative Jerusha Momanyi, nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri, nominated MP Irene Mayaka and several MPs, including South Mugirango's Silvanus Osoro, Nyaribari Chache's Zaheer Jhanda and Bonchari's Charles Onchoke, whose attendance the paper said signalled his allegiance to the President.

The turnout has unsettled the camp of Jubilee presidential hopeful Fred Matiang'i, the region's most prominent opposition figure, The Star reported, with his allies worried that Ruto could still make inroads into the Gusii vote, especially if Matiang'i ends up off the presidential ballot. "Those people outnumber us by far," one Matiang'i-allied lawmaker told the paper.

Only Nyamira Senator Okong'o Omogeni and Borabu MP Patrick Osero were described as firmly in Matiang'i's corner. Others, including Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka and MPs Clive Gisairo, Obadiah Barongo and Anthony Kibagendi, back Matiang'i but are also linked to Edwin Sifuna's Linda Mwananchi, leaving their loyalty the subject of debate. "We have no contradictory issues with Fred. If we agree it is Jubilee, we will run with Fred," Onyonka was quoted as saying.

A prized swing bloc

Kisii and Nyamira together have 960,293 registered voters, 637,010 in Kisii and 323,283 in Nyamira, according to The Star, making the Gusii region one of the most contested blocs ahead of 2027.

Matiang'i has insisted he is in the opposition to stay and has been touring the country calling for Ruto to be voted out next year, despite reports that Kenya Kwanza figures have been trying to woo him. The postponed tour hands him a short reprieve, but the President's allies are expected to reschedule once the pending projects are ready.

The setback came as Ruto wrapped up a four-day tour of Ukambani, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka's backyard, where he launched roads and announced a cement plant in Kitui, part of a wider push into opposition strongholds ahead of the August 2027 election.

Photos: President William Ruto addressing residents (Nation Media Group); Gusii leaders allied to the broad-based government at the Serena Hotel, Nairobi (The Star)