Ruto promises bag of goodies to Migori residents during tour

President William Ruto addresses a rally during his tour of Migori County. [PCS]

President William Ruto has pledged to accelerate road construction and expand electricity connections in Migori County during his tour, announcing new infrastructure commitments while defending his administration’s development agenda.

Speaking in Uriri, President Ruto promised that residents of Oyani would be connected through a road network and said several ongoing road projects would be completed or extended.

He said the Stella–Sibuoche–Gogo Road would be completed before the end of December, while the Government would also connect Sibuoche to Macalder through a new road.

“Another road is being constructed from Posta to Nyarongi and to Macalder. I want that when it reaches Macalder, we connect it to Sibuoche,” Ruto said.

The President also announced a Sh25 million allocation for electricity connections in Mangongo and Gonga villages, saying the connections would be installed free of charge, although residents would still be required to pay their electricity bills after connection.

“We want that your houses get connected to the power grid,” he said.

Ruto said the Government had allocated Sh19 billion for roads in Migori County and pledged that the county would no longer be left out of national development programmes.

“We have done away with olden days politics where you were sidelined when it came to development. Migori will not be discriminated against again,” he said.

At Masaba, Ruto commissioned the 132kV Awendo–Masaba Transmission Line Project, implemented by the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO).

The Sh1.4 billion project comprises 28 kilometres of 132kV single-circuit transmission line, a new substation at Masaba and an extension of the existing Awendo substation.

The project, which began in September 2021 under the Kenya Power Transmission Expansion Project, was energised on June 6, 2025. It was financed by the Exim Bank of China and the Government of Kenya, with China Aerospace Construction Group Company Ltd as the contractor.

According to KETRACO, the project is intended to strengthen electricity transmission in Migori and surrounding areas, including Isebania, Ikerege and Kehancha. The company estimates that power reliability will improve by about 25 per cent during the first year of operation.

The new transmission infrastructure also shortens distribution lines from the Masaba Substation, a change expected to reduce the frequency and duration of power outages in Migori and surrounding urban centres.

Ruto said the Government had allocated a further Sh2.3 billion to connect residents of Migori to the national power grid.

“We want our MPs to tell us the areas that still lack electricity so that we can supply electricity to every corner of this country,” he said.

The improved power supply is expected to support industries and public services, including Sony Sugar Factory, Getonyanya Sweet Potatoes Factory and Migori County Referral Hospital. It will also support electricity supply to the Isebania One Stop Border Post, which facilitates trade between Kenya and Tanzania.

Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi said the project demonstrated the government's commitment to infrastructure development in Nyanza.

“The Awendo–Masaba project is a practical demonstration of the Government’s commitment to delivering on its development promise to the people of Nyanza,” Wandayi said.

Ruto also addressed education and healthcare during the tour, saying his administration had increased the number of teachers, expanded school infrastructure and made changes to the higher education funding model.

He said the Government would continue employing teachers and ensure that children have access to school placement and funding.

“We don't want any child remaining at home,” Ruto said, while urging parents and communities not to subject children to child labour.

On healthcare, the President said his administration was working to ensure access to treatment regardless of a person's financial circumstances. He cited the transition from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Authority (SHA), saying more than three million Kenyans had been enrolled.

Ruto also highlighted agriculture, saying the Government had subsidised fertiliser for farmers and would further reduce the price to Sh2,000 from September.

He said reforms in the sugarcane sector had also resulted in farmers receiving payments every month.

The President said the Government was pursuing development across the country under what he described as the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko thanked Ruto for projects in the county and said the completion of Lichota airstrip would create employment opportunities for young people.

Ayacko also said Getonganya was not dead and that the President had helped secure an investor who would take over the Getonganya processing plant.