Makueni senator Dan Maanzo has stated why opposition leaders from the Ukambani region joined President Ruto on his Ukambani tour.
During an interview on a local TV station on Thursday, November 13, 2025, Maanzo explained that none of the opposition leaders were invited to join the developmental trip by President Ruto.
According to Maanzo, since they had been critical of the Ruto administration as opposition leaders, they decided to engage the president directly during his tour of the region, where he was launching and inspecting a number of projects. Without any invitation extended to them, they joined the president to seek answers to the questions they had been raising.
The decision to attend, according to Maanzo, followed rumours of the tour, which appeared credible enough to prompt their presence.
“So no one was invited. No one, not even myself. So we were just hearing rumours, and when the rumours looked like they were real, we decided to go, you know, because we saw you there, and we decided to go and face him there.” Maanzo stated
The leaders were seen accompanying the president despite being in the opposition and allied to Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka. Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Junior and Maanzo were at the forefront in welcoming the president, interacting with him, and visiting the projects he was launching.
“Leo pale kwa affordable housing tumeangaliana macho kwa macho na rais, nikauliza ile maswali, nimekuwa nimeshinda nikiuliza mawaziri yake akaniambia thwake dam sawa, hata Waziri Duale mtamona hapa, ndio tutatuwe shida za watu wetu,” Maanzo said.
During a stopover in Makueni Constituency, Maanzo informed residents that he had obtained responses to the issues he had been raising with the government.
On the first day of the tour, the president acknowledged Governor Mutula’s presence at the forum and committed to addressing key projects in the region, stating that he did not need anyone’s permission to work with him.
“Unajua huyu junior ni kiongozi mzuri, lakini kuna watu wanamtishia, ya kwamba akifanya kazi na Ruto ati atawafanya maneno. Huyu junior anahitaji ruhusa ya mtu yeyote kufanya kazi na mimi. Si ile maneno yote amesema hapa anitumie kwa SMS, kwa sababu ako na number yangu, badala ya kuuliza ruhusa kwa watu wengine. Sisi tumeajiriwa na wananchi; hatuna ruhusa ya mtu kama tutafanya ama hatutafanya,” Ruto said.
