President William Ruto has stepped up his political attack on opponents ahead of the 2027 General Election, telling them they should not mistake his current nationwide tours for the start of his campaign.
Ruto said he was currently concentrating on development work and had not yet entered the campaign season, but warned his rivals that the political contest would become much harder once he formally begins seeking another term.
“I’m yet to begin my campaigns. I pity my competitors,” the President said while addressing large crowds during his development tour of Narok on Tuesday.
He said some opposition politicians were already behaving as if the campaign had started, yet his own political machinery was yet to get into action.
“You people, I want to tell you, you saw us at night, you have not seen us during the day. They are telling us that they have started campaigns. For us, we have not started the campaigns,” he said.
“When we start campaigns, you will disappear in the grass,” Ruto added.
The President questioned what he described as a lack of clear plans among his political opponents, saying voters should look at what leaders have delivered rather than the political messages they use during campaigns.
He asked Kenyans to make their choices based on performance and work instead of allowing tribal politics and hostility to influence their decisions.
“When you are electing leaders, are you electing faces or a person who works? Are you electing work or tribalism? Are you electing work or hatred?” he asked.
Ruto said his administration was determined to move the country away from an era of political attacks, insults and divisions along ethnic lines.
“I told you we will end that old politics of hatred, insults and tribalism. Every part of Kenya will get development because that is the order from the constitution.”
He also ridiculed the opposition's online campaigns, arguing that they had spent more time attacking him than explaining what they would do if elected.
“These are people of blogs, insults, and tribalism. They will come here and say wantam, Kasongo, must go. Aren’t these people stupid? The biggest work they have done is to give me a name, Kasongo. They do not have any plans, agenda, or manifesto,” he said.
The President further challenged politicians who have promised to dismantle some of his administration's programmes, saying they had not offered Kenyans clear replacements.
He particularly defended the Social Health Authority against opposition calls to restore the National Hospital Insurance Fund.
“You are telling us to leave SHA and go back to NHIF. I want to ask you: you are telling us to go back to NHIF, which catered for few people, eight million people, and leave SHA of 32 million Kenyans?”
Ruto also argued that the old health insurance system took longer before members could access benefits, while he said SHA provides services once contributions are made.
“You are telling us to go back to NHIF where, if you pay premiums now, you wait for three months to get benefits. This one of SHA, if you pay, you get services immediately. You are telling us you want to abolish SHA but you don’t have an alternative.”
Turning to the 2027 contest, Ruto linked his political prospects to the growing relationship between UDA and ODM, saying the arrangement could alter voting patterns in Narok.
He recalled his previous political contest with Raila Odinga in the county, where he said the two sides shared the vote almost equally.
“Here in Narok, we were fighting with Raila Odinga. He used to get half and I get half. But in 2027, you have information that we have united ODM and UDA and it is now broad-based. Will the votes in Narok now be 100 per cent?” he posed.
Ruto's political message was delivered alongside a list of development projects his administration says are aimed at improving transport and opening up more parts of Narok.
The President launched work on the 59-kilometre Enengetia-Olposimoru road, which will link Eneng’etia, Olokurto, Enkuseru, Olposimoru and Kiptenden.
He also pointed to progress on the Ngoswani-Naikarra-Morijo road, where 30 kilometres have already been completed.
Work is also ongoing on the Ololung’a-Ewaso Ng’iro road, while the Ololung’a-Sogoo-Saptet-Mulot road has reached nearly 60 per cent completion.
In Narok East, construction is continuing on the 40-kilometre Suswa-Inkorionito-Naiekia-Enkare road.
Ruto maintained that such projects should form part of the basis on which Kenyans assess his administration, as he urged voters to focus on development rather than political divisions.