Ruto man conducts a thrilling UDA roadshow in Kisumu

BY GERALD ODHIAMBO

President William Ruto`s strategist George Ayugi aka Mbuta on Friday took Kisumu by storm when he led a colourful UDA roadshow that snaked through the city Centre.

Mbuta is among the candidates who have expressed interest in UDA`s Kisumu County chairmanship in the fast-approaching December 9 grassroots elections.

In a rare show of dominance in ODM leader Raila Odinga`s political backyard, Mbuta`s motorcade, accompanied by excited bodaboda operators made several stopovers within the town.

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party activist George Ayugi alias Mbuta during one of the party’s recruitment drives in Kisumu East Constituency last week.

Pro-UDA chants rented the air as the convey received acknowledgement from the residents and businessmen.

The climax of the event was at a local petrol station where bodaboda riders in yellow UDA-Tshirts had their respective motorbikes fueled for free through Mbuta`s campaign unit.

George Ayugi addressing UDA supporters at Oile Park in Kisumu town on Friday

This and other recent UDA events confirms a wind of change which is blowing across Azimio leader Raila Odinga’s Nyanza home turf as Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) makes inroads into the region.
With the party’s grassroots elections expected on December 9, already various candidates have launched their campaigns for various positions in the ODM-dominated region.
Ayugi’s motorcade snaked along the streets of Kisumu town on Nairobi road, Kenyatta Avenue and the busy Oginga Odinga Street before he left for Seme Constituency and Awasi in Nyando Constituency.
He is expected to face off with former ODM members James Oyolo and ex-Nyakach MP Pollyns Ochieng’ Daima in the battle for the party’s Kisumu County chairman.
Ayugi is a longtime friend of President Ruto dating back to 2007 when the Head of State was a member of the ODM Pentagon together with Mr Odinga and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi among other politicians.He would later join president Ruto in the defunct United Republican Party (URP) before joining former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee party then to UDA.
He hit the headlines when president Ruto was at The Hague for a hearing of his case at the International Criminals Court (ICC) when he led protests against his indictment alongside Mr Kenyatta, Radio Journalist Joshua Arap Sang’, former Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura, ex-Minister Henry Kosgei and former police boss Major General Mohammed Hussein Ali.