President William Ruto has declared that the 2027 General
Election will be a two-horse race, pitching his Kenya Kwanza administration
against the opposition, which he accused of stalling the country’s development.
Speaking during his development tour of Kitui county on
Thursday, Ruto said the contest will be between “team forward” — those focused
on transforming the country — and “team backward,” referring to the opposition.
“We have two teams: team forward and team backward. In which
team are you?” Ruto asked the residents.
The President accused the opposition of frustrating and
opposing government programmes aimed at improving the lives of Kenyans.
“These people I’m competing with have only three plans:
Wantam, Kasongo and Must Go. Their politics starts with tribalism, moves to
insults and ends with opposition,” he said, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Ruto said the opposition lacks a coherent plan or vision for
the country.
“They are opposing everything — housing, markets, the
education model and SHA — not because they have better alternatives, but
because they have no plan,” he said.
The President urged MPs to back his proposal to establish an
Infrastructure Fund, which he said would accelerate the implementation of major
projects across the country.
“I’m taking that plan to Parliament. I have told our MPs
that we are establishing a new fund. I urge them to approve it so that we can
tarmac 10,000 kilometres of new roads, build 50 mega dams and add 10,000
megawatts to the national grid,” he said.
Ruto said he has now embarked on ‘real’ development after
spending his early years in office fixing the country’s economy.
The President said his interventions have stalled the
strength of the shilling against the dollar, reduced the cost of basic
commodities and tamed inflation.
He used the occasion to woo the Ukambani region — long seen
as Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s political stronghold — urging residents to
join his government’s development agenda.
“The era of waiting and being in the opposition has come to
an end. I made a mistake for not coming for you earlier, but now I am here to
take Ukambani forward,” he told the gathering.
He criticised the opposition for allegedly plotting to share
government among themselves, excluding other communities, if they beat him in
the 2027 polls.
“The government of Kenya is not yours. It is for all
Kenyans. You cannot sit down and say, I will take 50 per cent and the other
person 10 per cent. What about other Kenyans?” he asked.
“If you continue one term, Kasongo and Must Go calls, you
will run late with it, and I will beat you hands down (in 2027),” he warned.
During the visit, Ruto announced the issuance of 42,000
title deeds to Kitui landowners, inspected the Tulia–Mbondoni Road, and
launched the Kitui Last Mile Electrification Project in Migwani.
He also commissioned the tarmacking of the
Kamuw’ongo–Kandwia Road and handed over the new Kamuw’ongo Fresh Produce Market
in Mwingi North.
Accompanying the President were Deputy President Kithure
Kindiki, Kitui Governor Julius Malombe, Cabinet Secretaries Alfred Mutua (Labour),
Alice Wahome (Lands) and Davis Chirchir (Roads), alongside several principal
secretaries, MPs, and MCAs.
Ruto said his government remains open to working with
leaders from across the political divide to advance the country’s development
agenda.
“We now have a broad-based government that brings together
all Kenyans, including the people of Kitui and the entire Ukambani region,” he
said.
