President William Ruto is putting on a brave face in the wake of an avalanche of criticisms over his leadership. 

As he concluded his five-day working tour of the Western region on Friday, the President vowed not to be derailed by his critics and claimed that he will not accept blackmail as he continued with the implementation of his manifesto.

This came as sections of Kenyans criticized his administration over alleged intolerance to critics.

Speaking during his final day of the Western development tour in Bungoma county where he launched Soko Kubwa market, Ruto said he won’t allow anyone to stand in his way of implementing development.

He claimed his mission is to ensure that no region is left behind in terms of development.

“There is no community that is going to be isolated for whatever reason. No region of the Republic of Kenya is going to be left out from development,” said Ruto.

“That is my mission and I will not be destructed, dissuaded, blackmailed, and nobody is going to stand in the way,” he added.

The Head of State laughed off the nicknames Kasongo and Zakayo used by some of his critics whom he says he has outsmarted, reiterating that he has no issue with the names as so long as he continues to deliver on his promise.

Ruto emphasised that he remains focused on his work despite the jabs from his detractors.

“You know there are some people whom I have outsmarted, and they have resorted to nicknaming me, I don’t know Kasongo. Even if they call me Kasongo and Zakayo, so long as I can deliver on my development pledges, I have no problem,” said the President.

Kasongo and Zakayo are two names that have recently gained attraction among the President’s critics, who use them to mock his leadership styles and policies that introduced a raft of new taxes on top of the old ones.

Ruto sought to assure residents of the construction of a dual carriageway road from Malaba to Nairobi to ease traffic and further open the Kenya-Uganda border.

The President also confirmed plans to lease Nzoia Sugar Company and reorganise its management in his bid to revive the sugar sector in the region.