South Rift Valley and Lower Eastern were the least visited regions by President William Ruto’s cabinet members in 2023 according to a survey by data research firm Tifa.
According to the report, visits to Rift Valley accounted for only 2 per cent of forays by the Executive despite the region having one of the largest land masses.
The region which voted overwhelmingly for the Kenya Kwanza government comprises Kericho, Bomet, Narok, Nakuru and Kajiado Counties.
Similarly, Tifa's research further revealed that despite Lower Eastern accounting for a large chunk of the national population, cabinet members have rarely visited the region.
The lower Eastern region comprises Kitui, Makueni and Machakos and has for a long term been seen as opposition Raila Odinga’s stronghold.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had in an earlier statement remarked that he had opposed the idea of President Ruto nominating two Cabinet Secretaries from Lower Eastern.
He argued that the region had not brought enough votes to Kenya Kwanza basket to be rewarded with 2 plum posts.
Nairobi County topped the area visited frequently by the CSs accounting for 32 per cent of the total trips.
This was despite Nairobi representing only 11 per cent of the national population.
Tifa attributed the flurry of visits in Nairobi to the proximity of ministry offices as well as the presence of strategic infrastructure.
It was deduced that most cabinet secretaries made frequent visits to the capital due to particular events that required government attention.
Coast Province which is the nation’s second-largest city was the second most visited region at 16 per cent of total trips.
Central Rift Valley was the third most visited region by Ruto’s administration at 12 per cent, one percentage point higher than Mt Kenya.
Other regions surveyed included; Western (10 per cent), Nyanza (10 per cent) and Northern (6 per cent).
