A sharp political exchange has emerged between Kenya’s ruling party and former President Uhuru Kenyatta, with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) accusing him of working behind the scenes to weaken President William Ruto’s administration.
In a lengthy open letter released on Wednesday, UDA officials Cecily Mbarire and Hassan Omar said Mr Kenyatta had not accepted the outcome of the 2022 election and was, in their words, “fueling public anger” against the current government.
“It is a fact that William Ruto won the 2022 election against your wishes and political schemes. For once, be a democrat,” the party wrote, urging the former president to accept political reality.
The letter goes further, accusing Uhuru of sustaining political hostility since leaving office and mobilizing opposition to the current administration from behind the scenes. The party did not provide evidence to support these claims.
UDA also revisited the former president’s decade in power, arguing that he left behind structural economic challenges, including high public debt and weakened public institutions. It said the current administration was still dealing with those pressures.
“You were President for 10 years… you handed over one of the most broken governments in Kenya’s modern history,” the letter said, in a pointed assessment of his tenure.
The ruling party also highlighted what it described as progress under President Ruto’s leadership in sectors such as education, agriculture and health. However, independent assessments of Kenya’s economic trajectory since 2022 have varied, with analysts frequently pointing to persistent inflation and fiscal strain.
The exchange follows recent public remarks by former President, Uhuru Kenyatta, who criticized the government over the rising cost of living and what he described as growing public frustration. Speaking at a Jubilee Party meeting earlier this week, he urged leaders to listen more closely to citizens’ concerns and warned against divisive politics.
“We all know taxes are high and the cost of living has become unbearable,” he said, adding that Kenyans were expressing legitimate grievances.
The latest confrontation underscores the widening political distance between Uhuru and the administration he once helped usher into office in 2013, alongside Dr. William Ruto as his deputy by then. Their alliance later fractured, culminating in the fiercely contested 2022 election.
While UDA’s letter frames the former president as an active political actor influencing current tensions, Uhuru Kenyatta has maintained a public stance focused largely on opposition politics through the Jubilee Party, where he continues to play a symbolic leadership role.
About the Author
