Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has called on residents of Karachuonyo to turn their support for President William Ruto into votes in the 2027 election, saying the administration’s development record should guide their choice at the ballot.
Omollo urged residents aged 18 and above to register as voters and obtain identification documents ahead of the election as he mobilised the region behind Ruto’s bid for a second term.
“President Ruto is a done deal for us,” Omollo said.
He was speaking at Kanyamfwa High School in Karachuonyo, Homa Bay County, during a school development drive where he pledged to support the institution and clear outstanding fees for students.
Omollo said the government’s investment in education was among the reasons residents should support Ruto’s re-election, citing the recruitment of 100,000 teachers since the President took office.
He said another 20,000 teachers would be recruited in the current financial year, arguing that the additional workforce would help address teacher shortages in schools.
“When he was looking for your votes, he committed to hiring 116,000 teachers. Today he has hired 100,000, and in the current financial year another 20,000 will be hired,” Omollo said.
He said education remained the biggest equaliser and that no child should miss the opportunity to learn because of a lack of teachers or their parents’ inability to pay school fees.
Omollo also pointed to reforms in higher education funding, saying the government was seeking to ensure that students who qualify for university can pursue courses they are qualified for regardless of their families’ financial circumstances.
“This time we have a leader who knows the importance of education and has it at heart,” he said.
His remarks came as he announced financial support for Kanyamfwa High School, which he said was facing both infrastructure and fee challenges.
The school has 63 candidates sitting their KCSE examinations this year, with fee arrears of more than Sh400,000, while students in the lower classes have accumulated arrears of more than Sh200,000.
Omollo cleared the outstanding fees, saying students should remain in class and concentrate on their studies rather than being sent home over unpaid fees.
“I have offered to clear the fee balances of over 700,000. To the parents, no child should be sent home. They should focus on their education. The best gift you should give us is to work hard and give us good grades,” he said.
He also challenged parents to take an active role in ensuring their children remained in school and were disciplined, saying the region needed to nurture the next generation of leaders.
Omollo acknowledged that the school’s infrastructure was in a deplorable state but urged students not to allow their surroundings to undermine their ambitions.
“You are 140, and we can change the story of Kanyamfwa. The school has existed longer than the Republic. Give your best and we will support you,” he said.
He linked the school’s challenges to broader development needs in the region, citing water, roads, healthcare and education as areas requiring continued investment.
Omollo said the government had increased spending on education and was implementing infrastructure projects across the country, including roads in the region.
He urged residents to assess the government’s record on these sectors as they prepare for the 2027 election.
“Those of age 18 and above should take their ID and voter cards. Come 2027, we vote for the President in totality to ensure he continues developing the region and the entire country,” he said.
Omollo also urged residents who had not registered with the Social Health Authority to do so, saying improved access to healthcare should form part of the region’s development agenda.
He said the region had been left behind for years and called for a change in the politics of the area to focus more on leaders capable of addressing education, water, healthcare and infrastructure challenges.