‘Let Uhuru be’: Jubilee fires back at Ruto over Opposition claims

By Newsflash Writer

Jubilee Party (JP) has hit back at President William Ruto after he accused retired President Uhuru Kenyatta of sponsoring Opposition leaders ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Ruto made the claims on Thursday, August 13, 2026, while addressing thousands of supporters in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County. He alleged that Uhuru was behind efforts by Opposition figures to challenge him in the next election.

The remarks drew an immediate response from Jubilee Secretary-General Moitalel Ole Kenta, who told Ruto to leave the retired Head of State alone and focus on his administration’s record.

In a statement titled “LET UHURU KENYATTA BE!”, Kenta questioned why Ruto continued to invoke Uhuru’s name years after taking over the presidency.

“Four years. Four years in office, and still the loudest export of this administration is not roads, not jobs, not the cost-of-living relief promised at every rally, it is the name Uhuru,” Kenta said.

He argued that Uhuru, having retired from active politics, was constitutionally entitled to enjoy peace, privacy and equal rights as any other Kenyan citizen.

Kenta said the administration should concentrate on addressing economic challenges facing Kenyans instead of repeatedly blaming its predecessor for its shortcomings.

“Let it be said plainly: a government that has been in power for a full term cannot keep campaigning against a man who left office in 2022,” he said.

Jubilee questions Ruto’s record

The Jubilee official said the continued attacks against Uhuru risked diverting public attention from issues affecting Kenyans, including the economy, taxes, jobs and the cost of living.

“Not the economy. Not the hustlers or mamambogas. Not the taxes that keep multiplying faster than the promises that justified them. Uhuru,” Kenta said.

He further suggested that if Uhuru remained politically significant, it was because his record continued to provide a point of comparison for the current administration.

“If retired President Kenyatta’s presence is such a threat, it is only because his record still stands as a mirror this administration would rather not look into,” Kenta stated.

The Jubilee Secretary-General maintained that Uhuru had a right to express his views as a private citizen, whether or not the government agreed with him.

He accused the administration of turning the former President into a scapegoat instead of taking responsibility for its own performance.

“Kenyans did not vote for a government whose main opposition strategy is a man who is no longer even on the ballot. They voted for solutions,” Kenta said.

He added that the government was free to disagree with Uhuru but should not continually blame him for problems facing the country.