President Ruto has urged former President Uhuru Kenyatta to stop undermining his administration, reviving claims of a broken 10-year power-sharing pact during a rally in Sindo, Homa Bay County.
President William Ruto has renewed his public feud with former President Uhuru Kenyatta, appealing to him to stop undermining his administration while revisiting the political fallout that preceded the 2022 General Election.
Speaking during a rally in Sindo, Homa Bay County, on Thursday, Ruto said he had supported Kenyatta through four election cycles and expected the former President to reciprocate by backing his own presidential bid.
The Head of State claimed the two had an understanding in which each would serve ten years in power, and accused Kenyatta of failing to honour it. "I stood with you, helped you and worked for you. When time came for you to help me, you did not go as we had agreed," Ruto said, referencing what he described as a "10 for you, 10 for me" arrangement.
Despite the grievance, Ruto said he did not fault Kenyatta for declining to support him, acknowledging it was the former President's democratic right to make his own political choice.
The President went on to defend his administration's record, citing the hiring of 100,000 teachers, the rollout of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), and the construction of 23,000 classrooms. He also pointed to the affordable housing programme, claiming 300,000 houses and 600 markets had been built nationwide.
Turning directly to Kenyatta, Ruto accused him of sabotaging his government over the past four years, including by organising demonstrations, and urged him to give the administration room to govern. "I want to request you in all humility. Stop undermining the administration. You are a retired president. Respect your office," Ruto said.
Timing Coincides With Jubilee Party Handover
Ruto's remarks come just two days after Kenyatta announced he would step down as Jubilee Party leader, following a High Court ruling barring retired presidents from holding political party leadership positions for more than six months after leaving office. In a statement issued through his office on September 15, Kenyatta said he would respect the court's decision and facilitate a transition of the party's leadership, describing the ruling as a reaffirmation of the country's democratic maturity rather than a restriction on his political life.
The exchange underscores the deepening rift between the two former allies as political attention shifts toward the 2027 General Election, with Ruto continuing to press his case for a second term.