DP Ruto Storms Raila Backyard with Migori Rally
Deputy President William Ruto is silently rolling out an elaborate campaign targeting ODM leader Raila Odinga’s political strongholds ahead of the 2022 presidential election.
Gathogo Wanjiru 
Ruto will this weekend launch a charm offensive on Raila's Nyanza backyard with a major rally to be held in Awendo town, Migori county.
Awendo is one of the constituencies that resisted the strong ODM wave in 2013 and elected a Ford Kenya candidate Jared Kopiyo who has since joined the DP's hustler movement.
The former lawmaker, who is currently serving in the Migori county government as the chairman of the County Public Service Board, will host the DP.
On Friday, Kuria West MP Mathias Robi and Ruto’s director of communication Emmanuel Talam confirmed that the DP will lead a fundraiser at Awendo Central SDA Church.
“We will have a funds drive at the church. The church had requested for this in the past and due to tight schedule and Covid-19 restrictions, we have been postponing it until Saturday,” Robi told the Star on the phone.
The MP confirmed they will host Ruto together with Kopiyo.
“I will arrive with Ruto from Nairobi in a chopper and we will be received by Kopiyo and other leaders allied to United Democratic Alliance in Migori and Nyanza region. We plan to address the crowd after the funds drive or a major greeting of people in Awendo town,” Robi said.
Ruto has visited Migori county several times in the past but majored his trips in areas dominated by the minority Kuria community.
Apart from tours of Kuria East and Kuria West constituencies, the forays left out the majority Luo community in the other six constituencies where ODM enjoys massive support.
Robi said they are confident they will manage to push Ruto's bottoms-up agenda in the Luo Nyanza regions.
They hold that the Awendo tour would give a snowballing effect in the area.
“The next government will be formed by UDA and Ruto at the helm. Most voters and leaders in Nyanza are aware of this and they are struggling to find a space with us which we have given with an open hand,” Robi said.
He said in Migori, they have already set the target of registering 200,000 new UDA members adding that they have been buoyed by positive results in the ongoing listing.
