Speaking at a church service in Kandara, President William Ruto urged his rivals to abandon what he described as a politics of insult and division, and instead present a clear account of what they have delivered to Kenyans.
“Isn’t a leader measured by the work they do?” he asked the congregation. “Is there someone who is measured by the number of insults? Is someone measured by tribalism or hatred?”
His message was simple and repeated for emphasis: the next election, due in 2027, should be decided on records, not rhetoric.
“That is why I have told those competing with us, there is no need for fights, insults, hatred or tribalism,” Ruto said. “Just bring your scorecard. I will bring mine and voters will decide.”
The remarks come at a moment of rising political tension, particularly in the vote-rich Mt Kenya region, where Ruto is working to maintain support amid an increasingly public rivalry with his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua. Gachagua has in recent months positioned himself as a central political voice in the region.
President Ruto did not name his opponents directly. Still, his criticism of what he called “politics of abuses and division” appeared aimed at a broad swathe of the opposition.
Analysts say such language reflects an early effort to frame the terms of the next campaign. By centring the debate on development, the President seeks to shift attention from political disputes to measurable outcomes.
At the church, Ruto pointed to infrastructure, education, healthcare and agriculture as the benchmarks by which leaders should be judged.
“If you have built a road, come with that road,” he said. “Let them bring the schools they have built; I will come with mine. That is how we are going to move the country forward.”
He cited figures to support his case, saying his administration had invested 27 billion shillings in Murang’a County alone. He also highlighted the construction of 20 markets and a housing programme that includes 5,000 units and student hostels in the area.
Across the country, he added, government-backed housing projects were employing hundreds of thousands of young people. “Housing alone is employing 640,000 youths,” he said, placing the total value of ongoing projects at about 600 billion shillings.
Such claims are likely to be tested in the months ahead. Critics have questioned both the scale and the pace of some government projects, while others argue that the benefits have yet to reach many ordinary Kenyans grappling with a high cost of living.
Independent economists note that while infrastructure and housing can drive job creation, their impact often depends on execution and transparency. They caution that headline figures do not always capture the lived experience on the ground.
President Ruto now appears intent on returning frequently to Mt Kenya, a region that played a decisive role in his 2022 victory. This was his second visit to Murang’a in as many weeks.
“I am happy to be here in Murang’a, and I will come again and again,” he told the congregation. “There are many things we have built together, and there is more we will continue to do.”
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