Migori Senator Eddy Oketch has blamed tribalism and disagreements within President William Ruto’s administration for the challenges the government faced in delivering development projects during its first two years in office.
Speaking during a television interview on Thursday, October 22, 2026, the senator argued that divisions among government officials affected the implementation of Ruto’s development plans.
Oketch, who was elected on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket, said the situation had since improved, with projects now being implemented in different parts of the country.
According to the senator, the government experienced serious challenges when it first took office because of ethnic divisions and disagreements among leaders.
“Alafu ukiangalia vile hii serikali iliingia ilikuwa na shida nyingi sana kwa sababu ya hiyo mambo ya ukabila,” he said, explaining that tribalism had contributed to the difficulties facing the administration.
He added that disagreements among government officials had made it harder for the president to carry out his work during the first two years.
However, Oketch argued that the situation had changed, pointing to what he described as a more balanced distribution of development projects across the country.
Senator Points to Markets and Housing Projects
The Migori senator cited the construction of modern markets, affordable housing and roads as examples of government projects intended to benefit different regions.
He claimed that some counties had between 15 and 26 markets under development. According to him, the projects could create business opportunities for traders, particularly women who depend on small businesses for their livelihoods.
Oketch also defended the affordable housing programme, arguing that it was creating employment opportunities for young people while increasing access to housing.
His remarks come as the distribution and impact of government development projects remain important issues in Kenya’s political debate ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Oketch Challenges Critics of Road Spending
The senator also responded to concerns about the cost of infrastructure projects, arguing that criticism of public spending should be supported by specific evidence.
“Usiseme tu kwamba pesa zinaharibika kwa barabara zingine. Mention one,” he said, challenging those alleging that money was being wasted on road projects to identify particular examples.
He maintained that the Auditor-General was an important source of information on the management and use of public funds.
“Mtu ambaye anaweza kutuambia mambo ya ukweli kulingana na matumizi ya pesa ni Auditor-General,” he stated.
Oketch further compared current infrastructure spending with projects inherited from former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.
He cited about 1,000 kilometres of inherited road projects that he said were valued at KSh179 billion. He also mentioned the 584-kilometre Mau Mau Road, arguing that it illustrated how infrastructure investment had been concentrated in certain areas.
Questions Remain Over Government Performance
While Oketch attributed the government’s early difficulties to tribalism and internal disagreements, he did not name specific projects that had been delayed by those divisions.
He also did not provide independent evidence showing how much the disagreements affected the government’s overall performance.
