President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday brought the lakeside city of Kisumu to a standstill when himself, opposition leader Raila Odinga, and Deputy President William Ruto and a host of other leaders came visiting.
President Kenyatta was in the county for the launch of the Universal Heath Coverage pilot program and also commissioned other projects and also went ahead to hold roadside addresses in the company of Odinga, the regions political kingpin.
Thursday night, he broke a record at the Kisumu State Lodge, becoming the first President to sleep at the heavily-guarded premises for the last two regimes, reports the Standard.
The house has not been used for more that five years, let alone hosting a Head of State for the night, Uhuru's predecessor Mwai Kibaki having only spent one day at the premises in his 10 year tenure, but never slept there.
In fact, unlike retired President Mwai Kibaki who frequented the presidential palace, the last two regimes have more of deserted it, but President Kenyatta has gone ahead to discontinue the same.
On Thursday night, the premises was a beehive of activities as the Head of State met more regional leaders amid tight security which included his bodyguards, Statehouse guards and those of his guests.
He left the house on Friday aboard two choppers and landed at Raila's Opoda Farm in Bondo, Siaya County at about 10:00am on Friday for the last leg of his 2-day Luo Nyanza tour.