“Huyo Jamaa Ni Mtapeli”: Ruto’s Explosive Message to Uhuru and Opposition
President William Ruto has come out swinging at his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta once again, calling him a con-man and sounding a warning to opposition leaders not to trust him ahead of the 2027 General Election. He’s accusing Kenyatta of ripping off the support that Ruto gave him during the 2013 and 2017 elections; claiming that the former President was supposed to serve out 10 years but abandoned their deal when Ruto himself tried to succeed him in 2022.
Ruto made these comments on Monday while on a tour of the North Rift region, where he rallied crowds in Nandi and Uasin Gishu counties and was making a pitch for his re-election.
Ruto Claims Kenyatta Betrayed Him Ahead of 2027 Election
Ruto is revisiting the story of how he and Kenyatta got along or didn’t and says that while he supported the former President during his two terms in office, Kenyatta was supposed to reciprocate that support when Ruto decided to take on the top job.
“This has really struck a chord because in 2013 and again in 2017, I told my people to vote for Uhuru because he and I had a deal. I campaigned for the guy and I thought that was the start of a long-term partnership. I thought after two terms he’d step down and then support me for ten years. But as my time came to an end, he just did a 180 and said no way – and that’s been a relationship killer ever since”
In Swahili, Ruto said
“Mimi William Ruto nilikupigia kura mara nne. Mimi nilisimama na wewe katika safari yako ya kutafuta uongozi. Huyu mwenzako. Nikasimama na wewe 2013, 2017. Wewe ukanitapeli. Hapana, tumepigana ndani ya mkazo”
But Ruto says that he knows all about Kenyatta’s dodgy reputation and was only pointing this out to heads of opposition parties who are still teaming up with Kenyatta. He wants them to know what they might be getting themselves into if they put their faith in the former President.
Ruto Warns Opposition Leaders Against Trusting Uhuru
Ruto also has a message for the opposition leaders who are still getting cozy with Kenyatta, don’t trust him, he warns. This is a person who has ‘tapped into’ several campaigns and then just walked away when they were done with you. “Don’t ever think that he will do the same for you as he did to me – and if you think so, then you’re sadly mistaken”
Ruto claims that Kenyatta is a big-time con man and wants to warn anyone who’s considering going in business with him to think twice. “Ask yourself this – if he felt no qualms about doing this to me when I stood by him when he was running for office, what makes you think hes going to keep his word to you?”
The remarks from Ruto come at a tricky time, with all sorts of alliances and negotiations set to take place in the run-up to the 2027 General Election. And Ruto’s comments are pretty clearly aimed at casting doubt on whether Kenyatta can be trusted as a partner in any of these deals.
Ruto Claims Uhuru Betrayed Raila, Kalonzo and Matiang’i
Ruto is now lobbing even more personal accusations at Kenyatta, claiming the former President has stabbed his old ally Raila Odinga, and also Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka and ex-Interior Minister Fred Matiang’i in the back.
He started mentioning the names of these key opposition figures, and then threw in a fairly dramatic claim – that Kenyatta had been the one to send them packing.
As for specifics, though, Ruto chose not to go into detail about his claims during a recent spat between the two men.
But the implications were clear, this latest round of insults has thrown a spotlight on the complex web of alliances between Kenyatta and various opposition leaders.
Ruto Hits Back at Uhuru Over Economy and Education
Kenyatta got a blast from Ruto, who accused the former President of leaving behind a whole bunch of problems with the economy & the education system when he left office.
Ruto pointed out that Kenyatta had no right to criticise the current administration for problems that started on his watch, and pretty much accused him of being a bit of a hypocrite.
At one point, a visibly frustrated Ruto told Kenyatta to ‘give us a break, you caused all the problems by leaving education in shambles and the economy in a mess. That’s just the way it is’.
This latest confrontation is just the latest manifestation of the deepening split between the two men over their respective records in office and what Kenya’s future should look like come the 2027 elections.
Ruto and Uhuru Expected to Share a Platform in Bondo
As you might expect, Ruto and Kenyatta are both set to turn up to the commemoration of the first anniversary of Raila Odinga’s passing in Bondo, a town in Siaya County.
This could be a bit awkward for the two old allies, given the frosty state of their current relationship.
Raila Odinga’s legacy continues to cast a big shadow over the Kenyan political scene, particularly with all the talk of alliances and the future of the opposition ahead of the 2027 polls.
It’s still unclear whether the two men will get round to addressing all the issues between them at the event.
Ruto Rallies North Rift Residents Ahead of 2027
As he made his way around the North Rift, Ruto dropped by Tinderet, Aldai, Moiben and Soy constituencies, where he really drove home the importance of people getting out and registering to vote.
For the President, voter turnout was a big deal, a crucial factor in his push for a second term in office.
The Interior Minister, Kipchumba Murkomen, was also on hand to remind people that to register to vote, you’ve got to have your national ID sorted out first.
One other thing Murkomen announced was the launch of digital birth certs around the time of Mashujaa Day, that was according to what he had to say.
Ruto was backed up by Oscar Sudi, the Kapsaret MP, who insisted that despite what his opponents are saying, the President still has a lot of support in the region.
Roads, Markets and Electricity Projects Feature in Ruto’s Tour
This visit wasn’t all about politics – the President also used the trip to launch a few key development projects in the region.
So what were they ? well, among the projects unveiled were new roads, markets and electricity connections, all part of the Last Mile Connectivity Programme.
For the government, this was a chance to put some meat behind their development agenda while at the same time getting people’s buy-in ahead of the 2027 general election.
What stuck out about this tour was just how important the North Rift region is to Ruto’s re-election chances.
“Huyo Jamaa Ni Mtapeli”: Ruto’s Explosive Message to Uhuru and Opposition
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