President William Ruto has described retired President Uhuru Kenyatta as the “most ungrateful” and “deceitful” person he has ever met, escalating his criticism of his predecessor during a development tour of Nandi and Uasin Gishu counties.
Speaking on Monday, October 12, Ruto accused Kenyatta of betraying him despite his claim that he had supported Kenyatta’s presidential bids, including in 2002, 2013 and both the 2017 elections.
The President also accused the retired President of failing to support his 2022 presidential campaign and of currently backing political forces opposed to his administration ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“You are the most ungrateful person I have met. You are the most deceitful character I have met,” Ruto said.
Ruto further accused Kenyatta of misleading opposition figures, including the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Fred Matiang’i, whom he said he had helped return to Kenya from abroad.
He urged his predecessor to retire from politics and warned opposition leaders to be cautious about what he described as Kenyatta’s political manoeuvres.
The remarks are the latest in a series of public exchanges between the two former political allies. Ruto had also criticised Kenyatta a day earlier, accusing him of backing opponents seeking to undermine his administration.
Beyond his criticism of Kenyatta, Ruto used the tour to defend the record of his administration, saying he would seek to have Kenyans judge the Kenya Kwanza government on the basis of its manifesto and development programmes.
He cited reforms in education, healthcare, housing, agriculture, roads and the economy, arguing that his administration had addressed challenges it inherited from the previous government.
Ruto said his government had reformed the Competency-Based Education system through the recruitment of teachers, changes to the education financing model and curriculum reforms.
He also claimed that his administration had stabilised the economy, reduced the debt burden, lowered inflation, increased foreign exchange reserves and attracted more foreign investment.
“As a result, Kenya is the sixth largest economy in Africa,” he said.
Ruto also cited the Social Health Authority, saying 33 million Kenyans had been registered, while pointing to the ongoing construction of affordable housing units.
The President said these projects formed part of the development record he intends to present to voters ahead of the 2027 elections.
“That is why I can face the people of Kenya confidently and tell them I have delivered what we agreed. I am ready for next year,” he said.
He added that he was prepared to campaign on his government’s performance and development record.
“I am ready for the next election. If that election is going to be about performance, development track record and transformation of Kenya, we are ready for that election,” Ruto said.
The President challenged opposition parties and leaders to present their own policy proposals instead of focusing on criticism of his administration.
“I want to challenge our competitors to look at our manifesto. We did not write a newspaper, we wrote a manifesto to guide the development, programme and the agenda of the nation,” he said.
Ruto accused his political opponents of being unhappy with what he described as the Government’s development record, while calling for political competition based on ideas and development.
He said his administration was focused on distributing development projects across regions and criticised what he described as politics based on hatred, tribalism and discrimination.
“Kenyans have the capacity to elect leaders based on their development track record and vision for Kenya,” he said.
During the Nandi leg of the tour, Ruto inspected road projects including the Maraba-Kebeneti and Timboroa-Kopere roads in Tinderet Constituency.
He said the Government was investing KSh20 billion in the construction of 350 kilometres of roads in Nandi County, aimed at improving transport and supporting agricultural and economic activity.
He also broke ground for the 17-kilometre Labuiywo-Kitechegaa/Kapkoros-Koisagat road, which is being constructed at a cost of KSh1.3 billion and is expected to improve links between Nandi and neighbouring counties.
In Aldai Constituency, the President inspected the Kaptumo Affordable Housing Project and Kaptumo Modern Market.
The Government says it is investing KSh18 billion in the Affordable Housing Programme in Nandi, including 3,500 housing units, accommodation for 6,000 students and 15 modern markets.
Ruto also launched electricity connectivity projects targeting thousands of households in the county and announced the construction of a new inpatient block at Meteitei Sub-County Hospital at a cost of KSh270 million.
On healthcare, he said 630,000 Nandi residents, equivalent to 72 per cent of the county’s population, had registered with the Social Health Authority.
In Uasin Gishu, Ruto opened the Kenya School of TVET Moiben Campus, described as the first campus of the institution outside Nairobi.
He also flagged off the KSh466 million Moiben Last Mile Electricity Connectivity Project, which is expected to connect 3,925 households.
The President later inspected the Ziwa Level 5 Hospital, a planned 400-bed facility with operating theatres, intensive care and high-dependency units, laboratories, maternity and other specialised services.
He said KSh35 billion had been invested in 14 road projects covering approximately 400 kilometres in Uasin Gishu.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the Government would launch a digital birth certificate system during the Mashujaa Day celebrations in Eldoret, allowing parents to receive birth certificates at hospitals after childbirth.
Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi said the Government had allocated funds to expand electricity connectivity across the country.
Nandi Governor Stephen Sang praised the Government’s investments in roads, affordable housing, water and other infrastructure, while Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot said development should reach all regions equitably.
Ruto’s North Rift tour is continuing ahead of the Mashujaa Day celebrations scheduled for October 20 in Eldoret. The tour covers Nandi, Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Elgeyo-Marakwet, West Pokot and Baringo counties.
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