President William Ruto has told leaders in his broad-based administration that they must win the 2027 election, casting the contest as a crucial choice for Kenya’s future.
Speaking in Naivasha today Monday, President urged political leaders allied to his government to remain united and defend what he described as the country’s current direction.
By God’s grace, we must win the next election. Inshallah, we must win the next election, not for your sake, for the sake of Kenya, he said.
The President was addressing the Joint Broad-Based Alliance Parliamentary Group and Governors Retreat in Nakuru County. The meeting has brought together leaders from the ruling United Democratic Alliance and its allies, including members of the Orange Democratic Movement, as preparations for the 2027 election gather pace.
The President said the political alliance had a responsibility to keep the country on what he considers the right course.
We have no choice, friends,” he said, arguing that the alternative would be difficult for the country to contemplate.
President Ruto also took aim at his political opponents, saying Kenya would be at risk under leaders without a clear program or national vision.
A group of people who have no plan, no agenda, no policy, no vision is too dangerous for Kenya, he said.
His remarks place the 2027 contest firmly at the centre of the Naivasha retreat, where government and political leaders are discussing their record, national priorities and the future of the broad-based arrangement. Recent reports have described Ruto’s re-election prospects as one of the key issues before the gathering.
But President also struck a conciliatory note. He said political differences were inevitable in a democracy, but argued that leaders should ultimately put the interests of the country first.
Yes, we must compete. Yes, we must have different points of view. But bottom line is that we belong to one nation, he said.
The President also spoke about his relationship with the late Raila Odinga, saying he had reached out to the former prime minister shortly after the 2022 election.
The President said the approach was intended to reduce political tensions and bring the country together.
I did engage the Honorable Raila Odinga immediately after the election, with a view of minimizing the differences, the rough edges, because ultimately we are citizens of one nation, irrespective of our political situations, he said.
The broad-based arrangement later brought Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance and Odinga’s ODM into closer political cooperation. With the 2027 election approaching, that partnership is now facing the test of whether its constituent parties can maintain a common political strategy.
For President, the message in Naivasha was clear: the alliance must stay together and win.
The President said the decisions made by leaders at the retreat would have consequences beyond the fortunes of individual politicians.
The future of our nation is dependent on the decisions that we make in this meeting, he said.
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