Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s political tour of Kitui has sparked debate over the opposition’s position on President William Ruto’s development projects after the senator landed at one of the President’s flagship projects in the county.
Sifuna, who has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the Kenya Kwanza administration, was in Kitui as part of his political engagements when he found himself at a project associated with the Ruto administration.
His presence at the project has drawn attention from supporters of the President, with businessman Martin Gitau questioning the apparent contrast between Sifuna’s criticism of Ruto’s development record and his appearance at one of the administration’s projects.
“So this man Sifuna,” Gitau said in a post reacting to the senator’s visit.
“You spend all your time criticizing Ruto’s projects, telling Kenyans how everything is wrong, how government projects are useless and how this administration is doing nothing… Then suddenly, you find yourself landing in one of Ruto’s flagship projects in Kitui — smiling, touring, inspecting and enjoying the very development you have been condemning.”
Gitau’s remarks have opened a wider political conversation about how government projects should be viewed in the highly polarised political environment ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The businessman questioned whether politicians can consistently condemn projects associated with their political opponents and still embrace or benefit from the same developments when they encounter them during their political activities.
“My friend, you cannot be the chief critic of the project on Monday and the chief guest enjoying its fruits on Tuesday. At some point, the political mathematics stops adding up,” Gitau said.
Sifuna’s Kitui visit, however, was not an official inspection of the project but part of his political tour of the county.
The senator has frequently criticised the Ruto administration over its policies and development agenda, making his appearance at the project politically significant even though it did not amount to an endorsement of the Government.
Gitau argued that the episode illustrated what he considers a recurring problem in Kenyan politics, where development projects can become victims of partisan competition.
“And this is what frustrates many Kenyans about our politics. We sometimes oppose projects simply because they are associated with someone we don't support politically,” he said.
“But when the same projects start delivering benefits to wananchi, suddenly the politics disappears.”
The businessman said development should not be treated as the property of the political party in power.
“But please… let us not eat the cake while still telling Kenyans that the cake doesn't exist,” Gitau said.
“Development is not UDA property. It is not ODM property. It belongs to Kenyans.”
The remarks come as political parties and their leaders increasingly turn their attention to the 2027 elections, with the record of the Ruto administration expected to become a major campaign issue.
For the Kenya Kwanza administration, completed and ongoing projects are likely to form a key part of its case for re-election. The opposition, meanwhile, is expected to continue questioning the cost, implementation and impact of government programmes.
Sifuna has positioned himself among the administration’s leading critics and has been particularly outspoken on governance, economic policy and government spending.
His presence at the Kitui project therefore provided an opportunity for Government supporters to question whether the opposition’s criticism of Ruto’s development agenda is always consistent.
Gitau challenged the senator to explain what he made of the project after encountering it during his tour.
“So, Sifuna, karibu Kitui!” he said.
“Now that you have landed in one of Ruto’s projects, maybe you can give us a report: Is the project as bad as you have been telling Kenyans, or has Kitui suddenly changed your mind?”
The political argument raises a broader question about the relationship between opposition politics and public development.
While opposition leaders have a constitutional and political responsibility to scrutinise government programmes, they can also acknowledge projects that are benefiting citizens without necessarily endorsing the administration behind them.
Equally, Government supporters have an interest in highlighting projects they consider evidence of the administration’s performance.
The difference in interpretation is likely to become sharper as the country moves towards the 2027 elections.
For Gitau, however, the ultimate measure should be what citizens see and experience on the ground.
“Politics is politics. But wananchi can see what is happening on the ground,” he said.
