Opposition leader Raila Odinga on Thursday was in Kisumu preparing for President Uhuru Kenyatta’s visit to the county.
The African Union special envoy held meetings with area leaders as he is expected to host the Head of State at his home in Bondo.
According to various reports President Kenyatta will be in Kisumu on December 13 where he will launch the Universal Health Care initiative.
Additional reports by the Standard indicated that the President might also visit Kango Ka Jaramogi in Sakwa, where Raila’s father and the country’s first Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was buried in 1994.
Preparations to host President Kenyatta are ongoing as major city roads and pavements are being repaired while some buildings are being repainted.
The government had said that it would spend Sh3.9 billion to pilot the programme in Kisumu, Nyeri, Isiolo and Machakos counties.
Speaking on President Kenyatta’s visit, Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o maintained that his county was well prepared to host the Head of State.
The visit to Kisumu will be President Kenyatta’s first since last year’s divisive General Election that was marred with violence his controversial win.
It will also be Uhuru’s first visit since the historic handshake between the Head of State and Raila, which ended the political standoff.
During the March 9 handshake, Uhuru and Raila vowed to work together and promised to tour the whole country, together, to preach peace.
During the run-up to last year’s General Election, Uhuru visited Kisumu only once duringKenya Breweries Limited ground-breaking ceremony where he took the opportunity to campaign for his re-election.
The crowd, however, was not receptive and even booed Deputy President William Ruto who had accompanied him. Ruto was forced to cut short his speech as the heckling continued.
After the meeting, Raila left the airport amid tight security and a convoy of six vehicles led by a police traffic rider and a contingent of armed administration police officers. He is today expected to meet various political and religious leaders ahead of the visit.
Thereafter, he will join ODM members for a political rally at the main ODM party office behind the bus park. “We expect that he will join the party members and later on address rallies to let the people of Kisumu know that he will have a visitor,” said Owili.