UGALI

William Ruto and MPs intend to host President Kibaki for an extensive tour of Rift Valley including a special luncheon at Ruto's Sugio home in Eldoret North constituency.

Kibaki and his advisers have agreed to the tour, according to Ruto's associates who are now just waiting for the dates to be fixed by State House in the near future.

The President is expected to be accompanied by several MPs from Central Kenya for a series of peace rallies in the region that was hit by post election violence between Kikuyu and Kalenjin in 2008.

Ruto and several MPs invited President Kibaki when they went to meet him at Harambee house last year to protest over Prime Minister Raila Odinga's handling of the Mau evictions.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga is also planning an extensive tour of Rift Valley in his bid to rebuild ODM support there. Raila has already held meetings with party delegates in Nyanza and Western provinces.

Supporters of Ruto and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta are understood to be working on the finer details of the visit which is expected to see the President also visits Mau Forest where he will announce plans to resettle squatters evicted last year.

Over the weekend Ruto told a rally in Narok that the issue of Mau was now fixed.

"Let no one come here and talk about Mau. That issue is gone now because the government will buy alternative land for Mau evictees," said Ruto.

A tentative programme by Ruto's supporters shows that President Kibaki will address rallies in the South Rift followed by other meetings in Nandi, Keiyo, Marakwet, Baringo and Molo before ending up with two rallies in Eldoret and the luncheon at Ruto's home.

"We have already proposed the trip to the President and are just waiting for confirmation of the dates very soon. We will host him with the respect he deserves and we have lined up issues we want him to address", said Cheranganyi MP Joshua Kutunyi.

Kibaki's trip to the region could have far reaching political consequences following the split in ODM which have seen Rift Valley MPs sharply differ with Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

The MPs have accused the PM of betraying the electorate in Rift Valley which supported him strongly during the 2007 election. They blame Raila for leading the evictions from Mau forest against the wishes of the community.

Last month Kibaki skipped a tree-planting event in Mau presided over by Raila, reportedly following advice from Ruto and retired President Moi.

Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka will also be in Kibaki's entourage to Rift Valley and political analysts in the region see the visit as part of the scheme to build the KKK political alliance between Kikuyu, Kalenjin and Kamba.

"Politics is a game and we are looking at all options as we approach the next elections. Politicians who do not scheme have no business in politics. Ours is a plan for the good of the people of Rift Valley", said Kutunyi.

Assistant minister for cooperative development Linah Kilimo said she would welcome Kibaki to her constituency of Marakwet West where they want him to address the plight of 15,000 squatters evicted from Embobut forest.
Relevant Links

"He knows most of the issues we want because he has been briefed already", said Kilimo.

Ruto had planned to make a major announcement about his political plans on January 1 but he put off the plan and only invited councilors to his home where he assured them that he would be in the presidential race come the next election.

Last December Jimmi Kibaki, son of the president, said in Keiyo district that he had agreed with Ruto to host a series of peace rallies.

"You will be seeing us around very frequently because as the youth we must prepare to unite our people and take up leadership as the old generation prepares to leave", said Jimmi.

He pledged to convince President Kibaki to visit the region in February.