[President Uhuru Kenyatta in a past event. He is set to tour Kisumu County on Tuesday to attend Dram festivals at Sate House Lodge in the Lake region. Photo/Nation]
Despite dark political history that involved their fathers, President Uhuru Kenyatta will on Tuesday tour Kisumu State Lodge, a stronghold of his political rival and Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Although he has previously toured the region in more than one occasion since 2013, Kenyatta’s tour comes at the eve of heated political tension across the country, four months to August polls.
In 1969, Uhuru’s father Jomo Kenyatta, then the president, had his presidential guard opening fire killing dozens of people and subsequently detaining Odinga’s father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga for alleged incitement.
While his tour will not be political, Uhuru who is scheduled to honour performers of Kenya Drama Festivals in State House is expected to make stopovers in the lake side city.
But few miles from Kisumu, in Migori County, Kenyatta was heckled by rowdy youths during his 2014 tour to the South Nyanzan Region.
Angry youths threw shows to the main dais prompting security agents to cordon the main tent where the president was sited.
The Kenyatta and Odinga’s family has had a fair share of highs and lows moments even as the duo prepares to face each other in August polls.