NAIROBI, Kenya —President William Ruto has publicly criticised former Chief Justice David Maraga for calling Kenya a “failed state,” accusing him of lacking faith in the very country he once served.
Speaking at the Talanta bell-ringing ceremony at the Nairobi Securities Exchange on Tuesday, Ruto pushed back sharply against mounting criticism over his leadership.
“I listen to people talk about our country,” he said. “I heard one gentleman who just retired after fifty years of public service and now wants to be president saying Kenya is a failed state. I ask myself, has he been working in a failed state for forty years?”
Without naming Maraga directly, Ruto appeared to question his credibility and patriotism.
“You want us to trust you with leadership of a country you don’t believe in and with a people you don’t believe in,” he added.
His remarks come at a time of rising political pressure. Civil society groups, opposition leaders, and increasingly vocal youth movements have condemned the high cost of living, soaring taxes, and what they describe as economic mismanagement.
The “Ruto Must Go” protests, initially sparked by the controversial Finance Bill 2024, have spread across cities and towns, drawing in thousands of mostly young demonstrators. Many say they feel betrayed by a government they once trusted to deliver jobs and justice.
But Ruto dismissed his critics as offering little more than slogans.
“Of course, every leader will leave one day,” he said, “but don’t just chant tell us what you’d do differently.”
He pointed to his administration’s efforts in reforming healthcare, education, housing, and economic policy. In his view, those pushing for his resignation simply want to maintain the old order.
“They are resisting change. They want things to remain the way they were,” he said.
Despite his defiant tone, the president faces growing political uncertainty. Conversations about the 2027 general election are already gaining ground, with speculation swirling about possible challengers including some from within his former political allies.
David Maraga, who served as Chief Justice from 2016 to 2021, has been an outspoken critic of the government in recent months.
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