NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 14 — ODM Party Leader Oburu Oginga has come to President William Ruto’s defence over criticism of his frequent county tours, dismissing claims that the visits amount to premature campaigning.Oburu has instead described the President’s tour as part of a “God-given” mission to accelerate development across the country.Speaking during a church service at Nkarusha Seventh Day Adventist Church in Kajiado County on Sunday, Oburu praised the President’s work ethic, saying he had never witnessed a Kenyan Head of State maintain such an intense schedule outside an election period.His remarks came shortly before Ruto defended his extensive local and international engagements, arguing that transforming Kenya requires relentless effort and active leadership.“The type of energy you have, moving all over the country, jumping up and down, I have never seen any President doing that since I was born,” Oburu said.“This kind of work is usually done during campaigns. Some people might say you are campaigning all the time, but I do not believe you are campaigning. I believe you are working.”Oburu argued that the President’s tours provide a platform for citizens and local leaders to directly present their development priorities to the national government.“Even when you come to pray like this, leaders stand up and ask for roads, schools, water and other projects because development can never end,” he said.The veteran politician further framed Ruto’s leadership as divinely ordained, saying the President’s development agenda was part of a broader mission entrusted to him by God.“God gave you this job, and He gave it to you for a reason. You are doing what you are supposed to do,” Oburu said.Beyond defending the President’s tours, Oburu also backed the government’s reliance on domestic borrowing to finance development projects and bridge the budget deficit, an issue that has sparked debate amid concerns over rising public debt.He argued that budget deficits are common across the world and should not be viewed as a uniquely Kenyan challenge.“When there is a gap between the revenue you collect and the development projects you want to undertake, that is not anything new. All countries have deficits,” Oburu said.“It is not only our country that has a deficit. What matters is how you finance that deficit.”The senator pointed to improved revenue collection as evidence that the government’s economic policies were helping fund development programmes and sustain growth.“We have seen people complaining, but the results of revenue collection are evident. They are there for everyone to see,” he said.“You are raising money from within to develop our own country, and that is important.”His comments came days after the government unveiled the 2026/27 Budget, which increases spending on agriculture, education, infrastructure and social programmes while relying partly on domestic borrowing to finance the fiscal deficit.Oburu also used the occasion to underscore the importance of national unity, describing Kajiado as a county that reflects Kenya’s diversity and where leaders can only succeed by bringing people together rather than promoting division.“This is a county with people from almost every community in Kenya. If you want to divide people, you cannot survive here. You can only succeed if you are a nationalist and a unifier,” he said.He maintained that Ruto’s travels should be viewed through the lens of development rather than politics, arguing that sustained engagement with citizens is essential to delivering the government’s agenda.