President William Ruto has told retired President Uhuru Kenyatta to stop what he described as efforts to undermine his administration, accusing his predecessor of working with opposition leaders to frustrate his government.
Ruto directly addressed Uhuru on Thursday as he wound up his development tour of Nyanza, telling the former President to stay out of active opposition politics and allow the government to pursue its development agenda.
“You are a retired President. Respect your office. Go and relax, wacha sisi tupange hii nchi yetu ya Kenya,” Ruto said in Homa Bay.
He accused Uhuru of using political allies to oppose programmes being implemented by his administration, arguing that a former Head of State should use his experience to advise the country rather than campaign against a sitting government.
“My brother Uhuru Kenyatta, you are lowering the dignity of the Office of the Retired President and your own dignity,” Ruto said.
The President went further, accusing Uhuru of allegedly funding opposition activity aimed at weakening his administration.
Ruto said he did not need the former President’s political support, but reminded him of the role he played in Uhuru’s political career.
“I stood by you through four elections; I stood by you, helped you, took care of you, and worked for you,” he said.
Ruto said he had expected Uhuru to reciprocate that support when he eventually sought the presidency, but claimed that the former President instead turned against his administration.
The remarks marked another escalation in Ruto’s criticism of Uhuru and came on the final day of his Nyanza tour. Capital FM reported that it was the third consecutive day on the tour that Ruto directly criticised his predecessor.
Ruto: Uhuru left economy “in tatters”
Ruto also used the occasion to defend his record in government, accusing Uhuru’s administration of leaving behind an economy in poor condition.
“You left the economy in tatters, but we have stabilised it,” he said.
He pointed to housing, markets, university and technical college hostels, roads and other infrastructure projects as evidence of what he described as his administration’s progress.
Ruto said 300,000 affordable housing units were under construction and claimed the programme had created employment for 1.1 million Kenyans.
He also said the government was building 600 modern markets and 180,000 student hostels in universities, technical colleges and Kenya Medical Training College.
“The housing programme that you failed to implement now has 300,000 units under construction and it is employing 1.1 million Kenyans. We are building 600 modern markets and 180,000 student hostels … things he failed to deliver,” Ruto said.
The claims about the scale and employment impact of the projects were made by Ruto during the address.
Battle over the opposition
Ruto accused Uhuru of working with opposition figures to frustrate his government, including politicians associated with the Linda Mwananchi political movement.
He also attacked the broader opposition, describing its parties as driven by personalities and ethnic politics and accusing them of lacking a programme for the country.
The President said the 2027 General Election would present voters with a choice between what he described as the development-oriented broad-based government and opposition formations that he accused of relying on tribal mobilisation.
“It’s only the broad-based government that has a transformative, practical agenda for all Kenyans. The other formations are clueless on the future of the country,” he said.
Ruto said Kenyans would reject what he described as politics of discrimination, hate and tribalism at the ballot.
The political confrontation came against the backdrop of Ruto’s development tour of Nyanza, where his administration announced projects worth billions of shillings.
In Homa Bay alone, Ruto said the government was investing Sh27 billion in affordable housing, modern markets and student hostels.
The county is set to get 21 modern markets at a cost of Sh3.5 billion, according to the President.
During Thursday’s tour, Ruto inspected the Misambi Modern Market in Kabondo-Kasipul, which is expected to accommodate 200 traders and be completed by November.
He also handed over the Kendu and Kijebi modern markets in Karachuonyo and Suba South respectively. Each market is expected to accommodate 300 traders.
In Sindo, the President handed over a modern market, inspected road construction and laid the foundation stone for the Sindo Kenya Medical Training College.
He later commissioned the completed Junction Kodoyo-Pier Road in Homa Bay town.
Ruto said Suba South had been neglected for years, claiming that in 2022 there was no fresh produce market and no tarmacked road in the constituency.
“In Suba South today, we have completed 30km and, by next year, we will have built 90km,” he said.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, who accompanied Ruto during the tour, also sought to frame the broad-based government as part of the late Raila Odinga’s political legacy.
Mbadi said Raila had instructed ODM leaders to work with Ruto to deliver development to Kenyans.
“When Raila brought us to the Broad-Based Government, he was very clear. He told me that I must support President Ruto to deliver on his agenda,” Mbadi said.
The comments came as Ruto sought to consolidate his political partnership with former opposition figures in Nyanza while simultaneously attacking Uhuru and other leaders aligned to the opposition.
