Friday, June 21, 2019, is definitely an important day for political lovers, observers, leaders and the residents of Rift Valley region as President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to tour Eldoret town in Uasin Gishu County.
His visit comes amid reports of a tensed relationship between him and his deputy William Ruto whose political bedrock lies in Uasin Gishu and the larger Rift Valley.
Uhuru has not been to Eldoret since the last 2017 polls despite attending a Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) recruits pass out ceremony late last year at Kamagut which is in the outskirts of Eldoret town. Uhuru will be in town to preside over the relaunch of the former giant Rivatex textile factory which has been down for several years.
The president will be accompanied by DP Ruto. The duo occasionally visited the town during the 2017 campaigns and Uhuru publicly promised to endorse Ruto's 2022 presidential bid after his tenure.
At the moment, it is clear that Jubilee Party is divided into two factions and Uhuru's recent remarks and attacks on Ruto’s political camp have been termed as the beginning of a fall out between the two.
Politics are expected to dominate the event as Ruto’s allies led by Governor Jackson Mandago and the entire leadership at the county could use the chance to ask the head of state to declare his stand in the ongoing succession politics.
Rivatex company lies in Ruto’s staunch supporter and confidant Oscar Sudi's constituency.
Ruto also enjoys massive support from Uasin Gishu residents who overwhelmingly voted for Uhuru in the 2017 polls.
However, questions now linger in their minds as to why the President has not spoken of endorsing Ruto ever since the March 9 handshake with opposition leader Raila Odinga, an issue that has threatened to tear Jubilee Party apart.
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