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DP Kindiki to opposition: Shun violence, challenge Ruto plan at the ballot
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki speaks at Marigat High School grounds on Saturday, August 16, 2025 during a women empowerment drive.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has hit out at a section of unnamed political leaders who he claimed are extremists, saying violence will not be allowed.
He raised concerns that the use of violence to manage politics is a dangerous trend creeping into the country and must be stopped forthwith.
Speaking on Saturday at Marigat High School grounds, where he presided over a women’s economic empowerment programme, he claimed that there are political leaders who are selfish and use violence to drive their political agendas at the expense of peaceful co-existence.
“There is a section of political leaders who are very selfish and don’t care if this country goes into turmoil, if people lose their lives because of incitement, or when business premises are torched or vandalized by goons, so long as they drive their political agendas and rule. They don’t care about the security of the nation, whether there is peace or not; their only interest is power,” said Prof Kindiki.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki( second left) having a jig with local leaders at Marigat, Baringo South, on August 16, 2025, where he presided over a women economic empowerment.
“This new and creeping idea, where you use violence to control and manage leadership and politics, is dangerous for our country’s progress. Those seeking political seats should avoid cheap politicking and using violence to ascend to power but instead sell their agendas to the electorate. If you lose in the elections, wait for another time instead of using youths to cause chaos and cripple our economy…”
He was categorical that the government will not accept or allow political extremists to intimidate the public and push their way to leadership through violence.
“This country is for all of us and is bigger than an individual. This country must be peaceful and sustainable—not just for ourselves but also for our children and even the unborn who will come centuries after us. These cat-and-mouse games where you use violence when you lose in an election must stop,” noted the DP.
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He claimed that anyone endangering national security is an enemy of Kenya.
“I have not stopped anyone from criticizing the government, but they should say what they want or what they don’t want instead of using violence as an instrument of ascending to power,” said Prof Kindiki.
'Agendaless opposition'
He hit out at the opposition, whom he said are trying to compete with President William Ruto but have no development agenda, including construction of roads, hospitals, agriculture, and other issues affecting the people.
He challenged the opposition to rival what he said was the government’s firm and expansive agenda on health, education, electricity, infrastructure, agriculture among others.
“We cannot allow agenda-less people to take the country at ransom and spread fear among Kenyans because they want to ascend to power. We are not requesting that Kenya should be peaceful; we are demanding. It doesn’t matter who is elected to what position, the country must remain secure and peaceful,” added Prof Kindiki.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki speaks at Marigat High School grounds on Saturday, August 16, 2025 during a women empowerment drive.
He insisted that those opposing the President should first sell their agendas to the electorate.
“The opposition doesn’t know who President Ruto is… if at all they saw him, then they did it at night. He is yet to roll out his campaigns, as he is busy initiating development projects. When we hit the road, they will marvel,” said the DP.
Security
He also commended the locals from the banditry-prone areas for fostering peaceful co-existence.
“I thank God that peace has been restored in the banditry-prone villages in this county. When the President was sworn in in 2022, bandits were roaming everywhere in the affected counties in the North Rift, and I was instructed as the Cabinet Secretary for Interior at the time to camp in the areas until normalcy returned, which I did,” he noted.
“I thank the President for deploying machinery to restore sanity in Baringo North and Baringo South. Now locals are going on with their daily activities. Baringo is now a haven for development, growth, and progress, and no longer a place of tears and suffering,” he added.
The DP gave his personal contribution of Sh1.2 million and Sh3 million from the President.
This is the fourth tour to Baringo County this month after he made a similar visit to Baringo North and Baringo Central two weeks ago. He also presided over a similar initiative in Chemolingot in Tiaty on Friday, where he gave similar contributions.
The DP highlighted that the government was currently rolling out development in the region, including the construction of modern, fresh produce and livestock markets, and a Sh1 billion affordable housing project in Marigat to put up 267 units in line with the Kenya Kwanza administration plan.
He also said that Sh783 million had been set aside to connect electricity to homes in Baringo County under the Last Mile Connectivity project, targeting 4,000 new households.
