Forget Ol kalou loss and focus on development, Ruto tells leaders

President William Ruto has sought to shift attention from the political fallout of the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election by urging leaders to focus on development, even as he unveiled a raft of projects and fresh promises for Bungoma County.

Speaking yesterday at State House, Nairobi, when he hosted grassroots leaders from Bungoma County led by Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, the  President maintained that leadership should be measured by service delivery rather than political victories or defeats.

His remarks came a day after the United Democratic Alliance (UDA)  lost the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election to Democratic Congress Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru, a result that has sparked debate over the country's shifting political landscape ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Without dwelling on the loss, Ruto called on leaders across the political divide to work together for the benefit of Kenyans, insisting that elections should mark the beginning of service rather than prolonged political battles.

"Do not allow those who want to divide us along ethnic lines to succeed- those belong to the other side, those who deserve shares and those who do not. That is foolish politics," Ruto said.

He added, "That is why I ask all leaders, including the MP who was elected yesterday in Ol Kalou, now that we have been elected, let us get to work. Every leader will be judged by their work when the time comes."

The President said Kenyans were capable of evaluating leaders based on their record and vision, urging politicians to prioritize development over political rivalry.

"Citizens are wise; they know. Every leader must have a track record, must have a vision and must have a plan, so that we can all work together to ensure we transform our nation of Kenya," he said.

He further cautioned against politics driven by hatred and ethnicity.

"We should not engage in political hatred, tribalism, tricks or theatrics. Once citizens have made their decision, all of us should move together because our goal as leaders is to ensure development is achieved, Kenya changes, the lives of citizens improve, and our nation moves forward," he said.

Addressing the Bungoma delegation, the President outlined several projects his administration says are aimed at transforming the county, while highlighting what he described as achievements made since taking office.

Ruto announced that the government plans to construct a Level Six hospital in Bungoma, saying he would personally return to launch the project.

"In September, I will come to Bungoma to build a Level Six hospital," he said.

On agriculture, the President said his administration had fulfilled its promise to eliminate exploitative brokers in key sectors, particularly fertilizer distribution and the sugar industry.

"We promised we would eliminate the brokers who have been disturbing us for a long time in fertilizer and sugarcane, and we did it. Farmers are now being paid well and on time," he said.

He also defended the government's youth employment programs, saying hundreds of thousands of young Kenyans had already secured jobs under various public projects.

"I promised to give opportunities to our youth, and we have given jobs to more than 600,000 young people in construction projects across every part of Kenya, including Bungoma," the President said.

On education, Ruto said the government had employed 100,000 teachers while implementing reforms in the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and the university funding model.

The President also announced plans to improve road infrastructure in western Kenya through an expanded Rironi- Mau Summit network.

He said the government was undertaking a feasibility study for the Mau Summit-Rironi highway extension that would continue through Eldoret, Bungoma and Malava, with another corridor running from Kericho through Kisumu before linking at Malava.

According to the President, the road network will strengthen transport and trade across the region once completed.

Ruto further revealed that the government had allocated Sh30 billion towards housing, markets and health infrastructure in Bungoma.

He said the funds would support the construction of student hostels at Kibabii University, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) campuses.

The President added that the county would also benefit from the construction of 15 modern markets and an affordable housing program under the Smart City initiative, which he said would deliver about 18,000 housing units spread across 28 buildings.

In a light-hearted moment that drew laughter from the audience, Ruto painted an ambitious picture of Bungoma's future urban growth.

"Ukiwa Webuye juu ya ghorofa unaona Kampala," he remarked, suggesting that the area's skyline and development would dramatically improve.

His remarks came as UDA leaders sought to downplay the significance of the Ol Kalou by-election outcome, arguing that it should not be interpreted as a verdict on the government's popularity nationally.

Even so, Ruto's address underscored an effort to redirect the national conversation from electoral competition to development, as political parties gradually begin positioning themselves for the 2027 General Election.