Deputy President William Ruto's remarks about his friendship with Raila Odinga and willingness to work together to spur growth has left residents from the region excited.

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At Kemera market on Saturday, Ruto termed Raila as 'his political father, adding that opposing him is suicidal'.

"Baba (Raila) is my political father and I am willing and ready to work with him all the time. Those opposing him should stop now. We want a united nation," he said amid cheers from his audience.

He added: "You know alinisukuma nikiwa ODM but those issues are now over. We must work together and support the handshake as he told us with the president."

It was Ruto's third visit to Nyamira in under four months, a region that overwhelmingly voted for Raila Odinga in the last decade.

At the function, Mr Ruto also shifted from what people usually attribute to 2022 succession politics only choosing to limit his speech to development.

Earlier in the day, Ruto visited Migori County where he was accompanied by estranged Governor Okoth Obado, who indirectly blamed Raila for his woes.

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