President William Ruto on Sunday escalated his personal and political onslaught against his former deputy Rigathi Gachagua and the opposition, declaring his readiness to face them head-on.
Speaking during a development tour in Kasipul constituency,
Homa Bay county, Ruto attacked Gachagua, branding him a tribalist,
saboteur and a non-performer with no vision for the country.
“That man has no track record. He has no plan whatsoever for
this nation. He was a one-term MP who never contributed to any debate, never
sponsored a bill or motion,” Ruto said.
The President accused Gachagua of failing in key assignments
he had entrusted to him, including reforms in the coffee sector and the fight
against illicit alcohol.
According to Ruto, the former deputy president instead
engaged in extortion and aligned himself with cartels.
“I gave him an opportunity to help fix the coffee sector,
but he teamed up with cartels, asking farmers for illegal levies. I asked him
to deal with illicit brews, but he became an extortionist targeting business
people,” Ruto claimed.
The President dismissed
Gachagua’s leadership credentials, insisting he lacks the capacity to lead.
“I want to tell that character; you will lead no one,
nowhere and nobody,” he said.
The latest exchange marks a deepening fallout between the
two leaders, who have in recent days traded sharp personal and political
accusations ahead of the 2027 polls.
Gachagua has previously accused the President of presiding
over corruption, mismanagement and the alleged sale of public assets, claims
Ruto dismissed as baseless and politically motivated.
The President also turned his fire on the united opposition,
accusing its leaders of promoting tribal politics and lacking a coherent
national agenda.
“I want to tell the so-called opposition, you have no track
record for Kenya, no vision, no programme and no plan. How do you expect to
compete with us?” he posed.
Ruto maintained that leadership requires a clear development
blueprint rather than insults and divisive rhetoric.
“You cannot lead this country based on hatred and insults.
You need a plan, an agenda and a vision,” he said.
In a direct response to mounting criticism, the President
declared his readiness for a political contest.
“I’m ready for you. If your problem is William Ruto, then I
am ready to deal with you,” he said.
The President, who has been touring the Nyanza region since
Thursday, said his extended stay was deliberate and aimed at reinforcing his
administration’s commitment to inclusive development and national unity.
Ruto defended the broad-based government arrangement, which
he said has eliminated exclusion and fostered unity across political and ethnic
divides.
“The government that unites all Kenyans is helping us
eradicate exclusion and tribalism and bring our nation together. Despite how we
voted in 2022, today we are one,” he said.
The President outlined key development projects targeting
the region, including the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), which
he described as a transformative infrastructure project.
He said the railway would link Kenya to neighbouring
countries including Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi
and South Sudan, positioning Kisumu and the wider Nyanza region as a strategic
logistics and investment hub.
“We agreed that the SGR is the single most important
infrastructure project to connect our country to the region and open up
economic opportunities,” he said.
Ruto also highlighted investments in the blue economy,
announcing that the government has secured Sh450 million to construct fish
landing sites in Homa Bay to boost local livelihoods.
“We have not created enough jobs in the blue economy. That
is why we are investing in fish landing sites to support our fishermen and grow
this sector,” he said.
He assured residents that Homa Bay county will no longer be
marginalised, pledging its inclusion in the national development agenda.
“In our plans, Homa Bay is at the centre of national
development. This region will not be excluded again,” he said.
Local leaders present at the event backed the President’s
development agenda and the broad-based government.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga said the region’s support for
the President is anchored on tangible development gains.
“The people of this region have seen development they have
never seen since independence. That is why we are firmly behind you,” she said.
National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed noted that
the President’s sustained visits to the region marked a shift from past
administrations.
“Presidents have not been coming to places like this. This
is a new approach that deserves support,” he said, adding that ODM would
continue backing the broad-based arrangement.
Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma urged residents to rally
behind the President, citing years of perceived marginalisation.
“We have been sidelined for a long time. The President has
come to us. Let us stand with him,” he said.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The President’s tour comes at a time of heightened political
temperatures, with the opposition stepping up criticism over governance and the
cost of living. Despite the mounting pressure, Ruto remained defiant, insisting
his administration will stay focused on development and unity, even as he
braces for an intensifying political battle in the run-up to the next General
Election.
