The United Opposition on Thursday delivered a sharply different verdict on President William Ruto’s State of the Nation address, accusing him of sidestepping public anger, overlooking the grievances of Gen Z protesters and offering “empty promises”.
This, even as the President later hailed his three years in power as a period of sweeping transformation in his address and dismissed the criticism by the opposition.
In a statement read by Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka, the leaders framed the Gen Z–led protests of June 2024 as a historic moment the Head of State failed to confront.
They described the youth who poured into the streets and digital spaces as a generation propelled not by rage but by a principled revolt against corruption, economic strain and political impunity.
The opposition faulted President Ruto for turning a blind eye to the frustrations tied to the cost of living, the troubled rollout of the Social Health Insurance Fund and the contested housing levy -issues that ignited last year’s nationwide demonstrations.
Instead, they said, the address leaned heavily on self-praise while avoiding the lived realities of ordinary Kenyans.
“The Gen Z said enough is enough. They refused to accept Rutopreneurship as the modus operandi. Our youth rejected the SHA/SHIF mismanagement that cost their loved one’s access to healthcare services. Kenyans from across the country rejected the housing levy that is nothing short of a slush fund; a scam of the highest order,” Mr Musyoka said.
The opposition also accused the President of abandoning Vision 2030, which is the country’s long-term development blueprint and replacing it with what they described as “bottom-up Rutoism.” They said that the shift has derailed national planning, burdened Kenyans with questionable levies, and left the country without a coherent economic direction.
“More so, Kenyans were against the betrayal of Vision 2030. In its place today is bottom-up Rutoism , and one that you will hear of being lauded across town today in Parliament by a man who delivers despair,” he added.
President Ruto, however, dismissed such criticism as a politically driven distortion of reality.
In his address, he accused the opposition of peddling “a false narrative” about the state of the country, describing them as “high priests of eternal pessimism” who criticise “without responsibility” and offer no alternatives.
“Anyone may speak their mind, and that is the beauty of our democracy. But no one is entitled to manufacture self-serving falsehoods and traffic them as facts. And facts are exactly what I present today clear, verifiable and indisputable," he said.
The opposition also raised concerns regarding the state of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), warning that the newly appointed team “has not escaped political influence” and entered office under a cloud after bypassing the spirit of NADCO-driven consultation.
“They have failed to consult the opposition on critical matters regarding the election and they have instead turned themselves into a commission that serves the interests of State House,” Mr Musyoka said.
Their concerns hinge on the ongoing voter registration exercise, which they argue could quietly distort future polls long before voting day.
The coalition cited the abrupt introduction of mandatory iris scans, restrictive registration hours confined to constituency offices, unclear deployment of registration kits, and weak safeguards against data misuse.
The opposition also accused senior state officials of breaching the Constitution and electoral laws by openly participating in campaigns and misusing public resources ahead of the November 27 by-elections. They condemned reports that voters were being encouraged to photograph marked ballots in exchange for money, calling it “a brazen attack on the very soul of our democracy.”
While they welcomed recent IEBC disciplinary actions against perpetrators of election violence, the leaders insisted the Commission must urgently demonstrate independence, transparency and consistency to rebuild public trust ahead of the 2027 General Election.
