President William Ruto has launched a fresh attack on former President Uhuru Kenyatta, warning opposition leaders aligning themselves with him to consider how their political relationship could end, recalling how he claims Uhuru let him down despite their long-standing partnership.
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Ruto questioned why opposition politicians were turning to Uhuru for political support, arguing that he had personally experienced what it was like to trust the former president after campaigning alongside him and voting for him.
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“Na wale majamaa wanahangaika na Uhuru Kenyatta waniulize mimi. Huyo jamaa ni mtapeli mkubwa sana. Kama alitapeli mimi nilimpigia kura na campaign, si atawamalizia asubuhi?” he posed.
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In English, Ruto’s remarks translate to: “And those fellows who are struggling with Uhuru Kenyatta should ask me. That man is a big conman. If he conned me, someone who voted for him and campaigned for him, won’t he finish them off by morning?”
The President’s remarks appeared directed at opposition figures seeking to work with Uhuru as they explore ways of building a united political front ahead of the 2027 General Election.
How Uhuru and Ruto Fell Out
Ruto and Uhuru worked together under the Jubilee Party, winning the 2013 and 2017 presidential elections.
Their political partnership, however, became increasingly strained during Uhuru’s second term, particularly after the former president reached a political understanding with opposition leader Raila Odinga in 2018.
The arrangement, popularly known as the handshake, reshaped the country’s political landscape and left Ruto increasingly isolated within the administration.
In the run-up to the 2022 General Election, Uhuru backed Raila’s presidential bid rather than supporting his deputy’s ambition to succeed him.
Ruto went on to win the presidency against Raila, with the Supreme Court subsequently upholding the election result.
The fallout became one of the defining political stories of the election, with Ruto repeatedly criticising what he described as attempts by the political establishment to frustrate his presidential ambitions.
His latest remarks revive that history as Uhuru’s potential role in the 2027 political contest attracts renewed attention.
Raila and Kalonzo Also Experienced Political Disappointments
Ruto’s criticism of Uhuru also comes against the background of the former president’s political relationships with other prominent leaders, including Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka.
Uhuru supported Raila in the 2022 presidential election, while Kalonzo was part of the Azimio la Umoja coalition that backed Raila’s candidacy.
Raila ultimately lost the presidential contest to Ruto, while Kalonzo’s own presidential ambitions remained unrealised as he continued to pursue political influence through coalition arrangements.
Ruto’s argument, as reflected in his remarks, is that his own experience with Uhuru should serve as a lesson to those now seeking political cooperation with the former president.
However, the circumstances surrounding Raila’s 2022 candidacy were different from Ruto’s earlier partnership with Uhuru, and the election outcome alone does not establish that Uhuru deliberately undermined either Raila or Kalonzo.
The opposition’s current engagement with Uhuru is therefore unfolding against a complicated history of political alliances, competing ambitions and shifting loyalties.
