William Ruto Returns To Kondele After Infamous Stoning Incident, Gets Kingly Reception

• The new camaraderie between President William Ruto and the ODM leader Raila Odinga has endeared the latter to the ever-restive Luo Nyanza electorate
• Recently, residents warmly welcomed the president for the four days he was there, his deputy Rigathi Gachagua on a working visit
• On Saturday, August 31, the Luo nation's hospitality toward the president was climaxed by his triumphant entry of the infamous Kondele, where he was previously stoned

Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Kisumu - President William Ruto's successful working tour of the Luo Nyanza region was climaxed by his triumphant entry into the infamous Kondele locality, where he was an adversary some years back.

How Ruto got welcomed in Kondele

The president was welcomed on Saturday, August 31, by excited locals who gathered in their massive numbers.

Ruto was flattered by the unprecedented hospitality of the Kondele people, who had previously stoned him during the 2022 pre-election campaigns.

"We will walk together with all leaders to transform our country. In this journey, Kondele in Kisumu will not be left behind," said Ruto over the hospitality.

The president's tour of the region has been seamless courtesy of his new-found partnership with Raila Odinga, whom he has been a bitter political rival with.

During the tour, Ruto constantly appreciated Raila for his resolve to support the government of national unity, which gave signals of a future political partnership.

When Kondele youths treated Ruto with hostility

The last time Ruto stopped over in Kondele was in November 2021, when he was deputy to retired president Uhuru Kenyatta.

He had gone there to advance his hustler rhetoric ahead of the 2022 polls, in which he would face off with Raila.

The tour turned ugly as Ruto's motorcade got stoned and chased away by angry youths believed to be the ODM leader's supporters.

In his reaction, Ruto blamed his foe-now-turned-friend of sending the attackers to his rally.

Ruto is believed to be aligning himself with the region to cement support ahead of his re-election bid in 2027.

In Siaya, he sent signals of forming a coalition with Raila akin to the one they had in 2007 dubbed ODM Pentagon.

What is Ruto's plan with Raila, ODM?

The president clarified that his partnership with the ODM leader and his honchos is not a short-term arrangement.

In making good his decision to partner with Raila, the president charged his government with selling the former's bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship bid.

Ruto appointed Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to be in charge of Raila's campaign for the continental bid.

Mudavadi, Ruto, and Raila were key partners in 2007 politics, during which Raila's second stab at the presidency gained considerable traction.

It is now believed that Raila, with Ruto's support for his AUC bid, may reciprocate by supporting him (Ruto) for a second term, with the likelihood of one of the lady politicians in Raila's fold being picked for the deputy president post.

Proofreading by Asher Omondi, current affairs journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.