President William Ruto (background), National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah (left), Dadaab MP Farah Maalim, Mining and Blue Economy CS Hassan Joho, Tiaty legislator William Kamket and his Kapsaret counterpart Oscar Sudi.
President William Ruto’s close allies have in recent days made strongly worded statements, vowing to secure him a second term in office in 2027 by whatever means possible, echoing past reckless declarations by politicians that have plunged the country into post-election turmoil.
Kapsaret MP Oscar Sudi, Tiaty legislator William Kamket, Dadaab representative Farah Maalim, his Baringo North counterpart Joseph Makilap and Cabinet Secretary for Mining and Blue Economy Hassan Joho are among the leaders who have made charged statements at public rallies, raising political temperatures by asserting that President Ruto would return to office through the ballot or any other means available.
“There is no President who has ruled for only five years in this country. Will this one (President Ruto) be the first one? How will that be possible? Where will we be to allow that to happen?” stated Mr Sudi at a recent public rally.
“Those online critics shouting ‘Ruto must go’, whether they jump up, go down, or move sideways, Ruto is not going anywhere. Let it be clear that President Ruto is going nowhere. Even if his votes will not be enough, we will add the votes,” added the MP, raising concerns over the possibility of harbouring plans to manipulate the elections.
The President has not called his troops to order regarding the reckless statements or disassociated himself from the remarks, his silence instead appearing to embolden them by the day.
The Head of State has been clear about his intention to seek a second term in the 2027 General Election, even as his administration continues to face mounting pressure over its policies and deteriorating human rights record.
Rising criticism
While addressing a congregation in Nairobi on Sunday, Dr Ruto reminded Kenyans how he became President in 2022 against all odds, when his critics had ruled him out.
While speaking in his Uasin Gishu backyard last week, the President exuded confidence he will win a second term despite the rising criticism facing his administration.
“Until now, I am yet to see any serious competition. Competition is between me and my track record. I haven’t seen any other competition,” President Ruto told a crowd in Uasin Gishu on Friday.
The fiery declarations by President Ruto’s political allies have, however, signalled a determination to secure a return to office regardless of the voters’ decision at the ballot, potentially setting the country down the path of anarchy.
Akin to beating war drums, Mr Sudi has repeatedly declared that President Ruto will not serve a single term, at some point claiming that no single Kenyan tribe “should feel entitled to lead Kenyans.”
“You know those people who always claim they are the ones who must lead the country? Even someone from the Luhya or Turkana community can lead. Any Kenyan is capable of leading the country,” said the Kapsaret MP, in an apparent reference to allies of former Deputy President (DP) Rigathi Gachagua who has fallen out with President Ruto.
Mr Sudi’s repeated remarks are however not isolated.
Speaking when he accompanied DP Kithure Kindiki for a meeting with the youth in Mombasa County, Mr Joho stated that he was also capable of mobilising youths loyal to him against those critical of the government.
“We cannot allow a few youth to destabilise the government and portray leaders in a bad picture. What we are telling those leaders, we also have our youth on the ground and they should not think they know the game better, we can also unleash our team,” he said on January 7.
Mr Kamket, raised the stakes by warning Kenyans that President Ruto could even rule for 24 years.
“If they joke, you know I come from the county of 24 years. Baringo County knows how to manufacture a president to survive for 24 years. If they joke, we can tell you to extend past the two terms,” said Mr Kamket.
His Baringo North counterpart, Mr Makilap, rubbished calls for President Ruto to exit the presidency.
“Dr Ruto must stay. Let it not be that if a leader comes from our region, then we say he must go but when he comes from the other region, nobody pushes that agenda,” said Mr Makilap.
Mr Maalim, has also stepped up his attacks against government critics and, just last week, insulted government opponents while defending the president.
The MP declared that President Ruto would not leave the presidency soon, using unprintable expletives.
In July 2024, Mr Maalim was summoned by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) after making controversial remarks on anti-government protests, asserting that if he were the president, he would have killed 5,000 Gen Zs daily for participating in what he described as an attempt to overthrow a legitimate government.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has hinted at plans to expel MP Maalim from the party.
“I condemn Mr Maalim's remarks in the strongest terms possible. On the outrageous utterances, I will advise him to resign and not wait to be thrown out. His actions were shameful,” Mr Musyoka said.
Political analysts opine that Kenya being a democracy, pro-state agents should not attempt to make statements that point to possibility of subverting the will of the people in the coming elections.
Political commentator Javas Bigambo avers that the recent statements from the political leaders sound oblivious of the constitutional period in which Kenyans live and the democratic order under the 2010 Constitution.
Mr Bigambo adds that such statements could point at plans to manipulate election results.
“It should come to the realisation of Mr Sudi that we already have a precedent that any irregularity that can be established and proven before the Supreme Court, such results will be overturned. So those quarters should come alive to that fact,” says Mr Bigambo.
“Elections in 2024 have demonstrated that incumbents have been losing elections and can lose elections. Regardless of Mr Sudi’s sentiments or any other person, whoever will garner 50 percent plus one vote will be the one declared the President.”
The political pundits instead advise the president’s allies to help him deliver on the Kenya Kwanza manifesto to the satisfaction of voters to win the 2027 General Election.
Kenya has witnessed deadly ethnic-fuelled post-election violence since the advent of multi-party politics in the 1992 General Election, with 2007 being the bloodiest.
In 2017 the country again plunged into another post-election turmoil after the presidential election was overturned by the Supreme Court, occasioning a repeat election.
The Kenya Kwanza administration has faced criticism over increased cost of living, high taxes and rising cases of abductions.
Social media
But Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno has faulted the youth over what he terms as misuse of social media.
Debate on the recent spate of abductions dominated the burial service of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula’s mother in Bungoma, after Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya asked President Ruto to end abductions, saying that families of the missing youths were living in distress.
His remarks were met with a fiery response from National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, who accused the governor of presiding over abductions and enforced disappearances during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s era while he was serving as the Rift, Valley Regional Commissioner.
Prof Gitile Naituli of the Multimedia University of Kenya says the bitter exchange of words among the leaders was a clear indication and a pointer to incitement that could plunge the country into chaos.
He argues that President Ruto and some other government functionaries have thrown the question of morality into the political arena as a possible deflection from criticism.
“It seems that the President sees criticism of the government not from the point of open political dialogue, but rather as a show of bad manners and disrespect of authority,” Prof Naituli says.
Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Justin Muturi, whose son Leslie Muturi was a victim of state-linked abductions in June last year, on Sunday, warned of a possible slide into lawlessness if arbitrary abductions against critics are not addressed.
“…I have taken this unusual step so that the matter can be debated honestly and openly as a country with a view to finding a lasting solution to this issue, which if left unchecked has the potential to plunge the country into chaos and anarchy,” Mr Muturi charged.
