By Newsflash Reporter
As the clock ticks towards the 2027 general elections, the recent outbursts by close allies of President William Ruto have cast doubt on the credibility of that crucial process.
In the recent days, Ruto’s close associates such as MPs Farah Maalim (Daadab), Oscar Sudi (Kapseret), William Kamket (Tiaty), National Assembly Majoriry Leader Kimani Ichung’wa (also the Kikuyu MP), Mining Cabinet Secretary Ali Hassan Joho among others, have been making scathing statements which have been interpreted as a threat to the electoral process in Kenya.
Given their closeness to Ruto, their remarks are seen to be the President’s indirect message.
During the President’s recent tour to his Rift Valley backyard last week, Sudi said that Ruto will not go anywhere, targeting his online critics, who have been pushing the #RutoMustGo campaign.
“There is no President who has ruled for only five years in this country. Will this one (President Ruto) be the first one? How will that be possible? Where shall we be to allow that to happen?” quipped Sudi.
“Those online critics shouting ‘Ruto must go’, whether they jump, go down, or move sideways, Ruto is not going anywhere. Let it be clear that President Ruto is going nowhere. Even if his votes will not be enough, we will add the votes,” he added.
On 5 January 2025, Kamket threatened to push for reforms to enable President Ruto to extend his term beyond the two-term constitutional threshold.
“If they joke, you know I come from the county of 24 years. Baringo County knows how to manufacture a President to survive for 24 years. If they joke, we can tell you to extend past the two terms,” said Kamket.
Maalim, on his part, termed Ruto’s critics as “bastards”.
Joho threatened to face online government critics head on.
“We cannot allow a few youth to destabilise the government and portray leaders in a bad picture. What we are telling those leaders, we also have our youth on the ground and they should not think they know the game better, we can also unleash our team,” said Joho.
With such remarks coming at a time when the country is yet to constitute the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), political analysts who spoke to Newsflash expressed fears that they have the potential to create vote rigging fears among Kenyans.
They said that President Ruto must reign on his allies, as such remarks could also revive the scars of the 2007/2008 post-election violence.
“In politics, nothing happens by chance. These remarks are coming from President Ruto’s right hand men in his presence. They cannot be ignored at all. Outrightly, the President might be indirectly directing a middle finger to his critics that they can do nothing to dislodge him from power,” says David Hamisi, a political analyst.
To allay any fears among Kenyans, Hamisi says that the President must condemn those remarks, as his continued silence could be seen as supporting them.
“President Ruto must come out and openly denounce those remarks. He must also assure the country that he will respect the 2027 poll outcome,” Hamisi told Newsflash.
