Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o and President William Ruto. Photo/Handout
By Wanderi Kamau
A blistering attack by Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o on President William Ruto’s administration has jolted the political landscape, exposing not just simmering tensions over devolution but also signaling a potential unraveling of the tenuous broad-based government arrangement between President Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
In a scathing statement released Tuesday, 22 April 2025, Governor Nyong’o accused the Ruto administration of undermining devolution by clinging to functions and resources constitutionally earmarked for county governments.
He particularly targeted the continued existence of the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KERRA), arguing they contradict the spirit of the 2010 Constitution.
“The Kenya Urban Roads Authority and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority need not exist if the national government is prepared to fully implement devolution,” Nyong’o stated. “Counties manage health effectively and efficiently. The national government cannot even manage Kenyatta National Hospital: one of the very few health entities in its hands.”
Nyong’o accused President Ruto of attempting to restore a centralized system of governance reminiscent of the Moi-era “Nyayo” state, suggesting that devolution is being suffocated to serve elite interests.
“The truth is that the Ruto regime has decided to go back to pre-devolution times of the Nyayo era. The 2010 Constitution is a hindrance to its primitive accumulation schemes,” he said.
He further warned that this centralist shift would not only undermine service delivery but also roll back gains made in building a democratic and developmental state.
Devolution under siege?
While Nyong’o’s sentiments were couched in constitutional concerns, political analysts view them as a sign of a deeper political fallout between ODM and Ruto’s administration.
“This isn’t just a policy disagreement,” says political analyst Dr. Rosebella Mutemi. “This is a clear signal that the Ruto-Raila détente is breaking down. ODM leaders are now speaking in an oppositional tone, and that’s a strategic decision.”
Nyong’o’s attack followed recent remarks by ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna and Siaya Governor James Orengo, both of whom criticized the president’s perceived attempts to roll back devolution. ODM leader Raila Odinga, speaking during the burial of George Oduor last week, warned that any assault on devolution could become a campaign issue.
At the heart of the dispute is President Ruto’s request to control the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF), a move the Council of Governors opposes. Ruto argued in Narok on Sunday that centralized control would allow for faster and more comprehensive road development across the country.
Read more: Kang’ata ranked the best performing governor
“If you leave it to me, I can gather funds enough to build all roads,” Ruto said. “The money you distribute only builds small portions that are destroyed by rains. Let me plan for that money so that it can benefit Kenyans more.”
However, governors — including those allied to the Kenya Kwanza coalition — have rejected the proposal, saying it amounts to a clawback on devolution.
Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, a key Ruto ally, fired back at Nyong’o in a post on X (formerly Twitter), accusing him of political blackmail.
“It’s quite hard being WSR [William Samoei Ruto],” Cheruiyot wrote. “ODM members, just like their colleagues in the National Assembly, are intent on retaining RMLF. Senate has stood with the Council of Governors on this matter to the best of its abilities, albeit with minimum success. Then, out of the blues, in classic political pietism, the deputy party leader of ODM and Governor of Kisumu emerges blaming the president. A very poor blackmail attempt.”
Broad-based government on the brink?
Analysts suggest the attack may have been calibrated by ODM to provoke a political response and redraw battle lines ahead of 2027.
“ODM is laying the groundwork for a political divorce,” says Prof Charles Ouma, a political scientist at the University of Nairobi. “They know Ruto has ambitions to centralize power, and they’re positioning themselves as defenders of devolution. This could very well be the beginning of the end for the broad-based arrangement between Ruto and Raila.”
According to Ouma, the escalating rhetoric indicates ODM’s increasing discomfort with Ruto’s governance style, especially his top-down approach to development and budgetary control.
“The cracks are now visible,” Ouma adds. “And unless something changes drastically, we may soon see a full-blown political fallout.”
Read more: Will Orengo & Sifuna survive ODM onslaught?
Governor Nyong’o concluded his statement with a rallying call to fellow governors and civil society to defend the gains of the Second Liberation.
“The Council of Governors and all progressive forces in our Republic need to be aware of this fact and to resist it by all means necessary,” he stated. “The achievements of the Second Liberation must not be destroyed by this regime.”
With tensions mounting and ODM leaders growing more vocal in their criticism, the once-cooperative posture between Raila Odinga and William Ruto appears increasingly unsustainable — and the fault lines may soon become irreparable.
