Deputy President William Ruto for the second time this month has failed hostile reception during his tours, with youths barricading roads and forcing him to abandon his plans.
The latest case came on Monday during his tour of the Western region, when youths in Bungoma heckled him, forcing him to change his route and cancel his rally.
The youths, who barricaded the road, are accusing the Jubilee administration of neglecting the county and disrespecting their leaders.
Last week, Ruto had a similar experience in Narok, when youths forced him to cancel another rally, after he was tasked to explain what the government had done to Narok South residents.
Ruto was on a mission to sensitize area residents to register as voters, as the IEBC-led exercise enters its second week.
In Bungoma, at the Bungoma bus stage, determined youths chanted the name of Cord leader Raila Odinga, with attempts by the police to calm the rowdy youths falling on deaf ears and trigerring angry scenes.
Area governor Ken Lusaka was also on the receiving end, with the youths carrying wheelbarrows, a symbolism of the wheelbarrow scandal that dogged the county.
“Na hii mambo anakuja na kutusi viongozi wetu kila wakati ndio maana siku ya leo watu wamekataa kumskiza, kwa maana hakuna kiongozi ametoka Bungoma kuenda Eldoret kutusi Deputy President, kwa hivyo lazima aheshimu viongozi wa Bungoma (The Deputy President is used to insulting our leaders, that’s why they did not want to listen to him. No leader from Bungoma has ever gone to Eldoret to insult Ruto,” said one of the youths.
Ruto finally made his way to Kanduyi, where he addressed a crowd and advised youths against being used by politicians to drive their agenda.
With less than seven months to the general elections, it will be interesting to see how the battle between the two coalitions; Cord and Jubilee carry out their campaigns, especially in areas that are known to fully support a certain coalition.