‘Everything we built has been destroyed’: Uhuru returns with attack on Ruto

At a DCP aspirants’ meeting in Kiambu on Thursday, UDA Secretary-General Cleophas Malala warned opposition members against attending the Jubilee event at Ngong Racecourse in Nairobi.

“The event tomorrow (Friday) is meant to undermine DCP and the influence of Rigathi Gachagua in Central Kenya. I must warn my compatriots from Central not to allow the party to divide the mountain. The red wheelbarrow (reference to Jubilee colours) is meant to divide us,” he said.

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Making his first political party address since leaving office, Mr Kenyatta accused Dr Ruto of mishandling social cohesion, bungling health insurance reforms, mismanaging the security sector, and lowering the tone of national political discourse.

Having kept a low profile since handing over, Mr Kenyatta broke his silence with pointed remarks that painted the government’s performance as a disappointment.

Mr Kenyatta, who had largely receded from the political stage after handing power to President Ruto in 2022, used the gathering to remind Kenyans that he had cautioned the country against entrusting the presidency to a man he portrayed as divisive and opportunistic.

He cited the collapse of the State House “hustler” narrative shortly after the election, the economic strain that has fuelled nationwide unrest, and what he called a betrayal of democratic norms as proof that his warnings were not borne of personal rivalry but of foresight from a man he had worked with.

This was the first time since leaving office that he directly confronted Dr Ruto’s leadership. He contrasted his flagship Linda Mama maternal health programme with the Ruto administration’s Social Health Authority (SHA), dismissing the latter as a scheme rushed through without safeguards.

“We ensured mothers could give birth in dignity without the burden of hospital fees,” he said. “Today, we are told of new systems, untested and unplanned, that end up punishing the very wananchi they claim to protect.”

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Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, a member of Dr Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), fired back, accusing Mr Kenyatta of “leaving behind a mess of a country.”

The former president went further to remind Kenyans that he had cautioned against elevating Dr Ruto on the strength of his “hustler” narrative and personal biography.

“I told you then that leadership is not about who was born where, or whose mother was single. Leadership is about integrity, vision, and service to the people,” he declared—a thinly veiled attack on the populist slogans that propelled President Ruto into State House.

He also criticised President Ruto’s education agenda, contrasting Jubilee’s expansion of free schooling and restoration of exam credibility with what he called a retreat from constitutional commitments.

“We protected free primary education, expanded free day secondary schooling, and eased the burden on parents,” Mr Kenyatta said.

Meanwhile, during a national delegates’ convention by the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) at Ufungamano House, leader after leader implored young Kenyans to arm themselves with voter registration ahead of the next General Election.

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Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua urged: “Please get IDs and get registered as voters. What you are doing on the smartphone is very good … But the true and real transformation of this country will happen at the ballot box.

The tool of change is the vote … Gen Zs, you must understand you are the greatest shareholders in this country.”

Former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, leader of Wiper, also called on the government to ensure all 18-year-olds are issued IDs. Mr Justin Muturi, leader of the Democratic Party, accused the government of betraying the Constitution.

Ms Karua, endorsed by her party to run for president in 2027, promised: “Never again will Kenyans disappear in the night … A PLP presidency will guarantee the security and dignity of every Kenyan.”

Mr Eugene Wamalwa added: “There are William Ruto people who think when we say ‘one term’ we are lacking respect. No. If you go to Malawi, hasn’t President Chakwera been given one term? … In Liberia, George Weah was told it’s one term. Goodluck Jonathan in Nigeria was also told it’s one term. So for Ruto, if Kenyans decide, it will be one term.”

Current administration

Mr Kenyatta’s charge against the current administration was as much about policy as it was about legacy. He argued that Dr Ruto’s government is not only failing to deliver but also erasing the gains of the past decades.

Not even Mr Gachagua was spared. Taking aim at the DP’s push for a regional party, Mr Kenyatta warned that ethnic or regional outfits were corrosive to unity.

“Politics is first and foremost about the collective will of the people, not the narrow interests of a region,” he said, in remarks widely interpreted as a swipe at Mr Gachagua.

Mr Kenyatta also revisited the attacks on his family during the 2022 elections, recalling the invasion of his Northlands farm.

“I have both lost elections and won elections … you can never be led by bitterness, anger, or hate,” he said. Although he fell short of naming names, many accuse Mr Gachagua of orchestrating the assault—an allegation he has repeatedly denied.

The former president also dismissed Dr Ruto’s push for a so-called “broad-based government,” accusing it of exploiting ethnic and regional cleavages..

Mr Matiang’i, in Jubilee red, kept conspicuously silent. Insiders claimed he declined a last-minute offer to be named deputy party leader to avoid alienating allies. The presence of confidant David Murathe, who has hinted Jubilee could back Raila Odinga if he breaks with Ruto, underscored Jubilee’s ambition to remain a pivotal player in succession politics.

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