President William Ruto has urged Kenyans to elect leaders based on their track records, development plans and ability to transform the country, warning against political mobilisation driven by ethnicity, anger and hatred ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The President said the country's democratic progress depended on voters evaluating competing policies and development agendas rather than allowing political leaders to divide them along ethnic lines.
Ruto maintained that elections should provide citizens with an opportunity to choose leaders with programmes capable of addressing national challenges and improving livelihoods.
“Citizens of Kenya will elect every leader on account of their track record, on account of their plan for the nation, on account of their program for changing Kenya,” he said.
The Head of State cautioned politicians against using ethnic divisions and hostility to mobilise support, insisting that the country's political discourse should focus on development priorities and solutions to the challenges facing citizens.
“Do not sell us anger. Do not sell us hate. Don't tell us about ethnicity. Don't tell us about this guy and that guy and this community and the other community ganging against others,” Ruto said.
He described Kenya as a democratic nation where citizens had the right to choose their leaders based on the policies and programmes presented to them during elections.
“Kenya is a democracy, and we celebrate our democracy because we are proudly democratic,” he said.
The President added that the democratic process offered Kenyans an opportunity to determine the country's direction by selecting leaders with credible plans for national development.
“And the reason why we are proudly democratic is because we have a chance and an opportunity and a program for us to elect the leaders,” he said.
Ruto said voters should prioritise proposals that could drive economic transformation and improve the country's development prospects.
“We want to elect the best program for our nation, and to elect an agenda that is going to transform our nation,” he added.
His remarks come as political leaders begin positioning themselves for the 2027 General Election, with economic performance, development delivery and national unity expected to feature prominently in political campaigns.
The President's message places emphasis on development records and policy proposals as the basis for electoral competition, while rejecting ethnic mobilisation as a means of securing political support.
The debate over the country's development trajectory is expected to intensify as parties and prospective candidates seek to convince voters of their ability to address concerns such as the cost of living, unemployment, access to public services and economic opportunities.
Ruto's call for issue-based campaigns also comes against the backdrop of Kenya's history of election-related tensions, when political competition has at times been accompanied by ethnic divisions and violence.
By urging voters to scrutinise leaders' records and plans, the President said the focus should remain on choosing an agenda capable of delivering meaningful change for the country.
The 2027 General Election will give Kenyans an opportunity to decide whether to retain the current administration or elect alternative leadership based on the competing programmes presented to them.