President William Ruto has seized on Kalonzo Musyoka’s comments about divine intervention in Ukambani’s development to portray the Wiper leader as an unlikely messenger for his government, saying the opposition chief is helping draw attention to projects being rolled out under his administration.
Ruto made the remarks on Saturday, October 24, 2026, while commissioning the Sh1.47 billion Mwala Cluster Water Supply Project in Mbiuni, Machakos County, where he thanked Kalonzo for acknowledging the government’s work on roads, water supply and healthcare.
“Namshukuru Kalonzo kwa kusema kwamba Mungu ananitumia,” Ruto said.
“Mungu ananitumia kujenga barabara, Mungu ananitumia kuleta maji, Mungu ananitumia kuboresha huduma za matibabu. Na yeye Mungu anamtumia Kalonzo kunisaidia kutangaza,” he added.
The President’s response followed Kalonzo’s comments on road construction in Ukambani, where the opposition leader said God was using Ruto to accelerate development, particularly the construction of the road leading to Tseikuru.
Kalonzo had challenged the President to move faster on the project, arguing that the road should have progressed further towards Maua while suggesting that the government’s efforts were part of a larger divine plan.
“Ruto, because he fears us, is working hard to complete the road to Tseikuru, and I’m telling him to work even harder. By now, that road should have reached Maua. God is using Ruto in a very special way. That hard work isn’t really his; it is God’s,” Kalonzo said.
Ruto seized on the remarks to argue that his development agenda was gaining recognition even among political opponents. He presented Kalonzo’s comments as an admission that government projects were taking shape in Ukambani, despite the two leaders occupying opposing political camps.
Ruto draws a line between Kalonzo and other critics
The President praised Kalonzo for what he described as his willingness to acknowledge completed work, arguing that political disagreements should not stop leaders from recognising development in their areas.
“Ako na ukweli, mahali kazi imefanyika anasema jameni imefanyika,” Ruto said.
Ruto cited road construction, access to water and improvements in healthcare as areas where his administration was pursuing development, maintaining that the progress made should be assessed on the basis of actual work rather than political arguments.
He suggested that Kalonzo was prepared to recognise projects where implementation could be seen, even as other opposition figures continued to question the government’s record.
The President used the contrast to reinforce his argument that development should not be dismissed simply because it is being delivered by a government led by a political rival.
His remarks also allowed him to frame Kalonzo’s statements as a form of recognition for his administration without suggesting that the Wiper leader had abandoned his opposition position.
President accuses opponents of denying development
Ruto also criticised unnamed political leaders whom he accused of refusing to recognise infrastructure projects, even when roads had been built close to their homes.
“Wale wengine baada ya kujenga barabara mpaka kwake bado anasema hakuna barabara,” he said.
He described such leaders as dishonest, arguing that their criticism ignored the work his administration said it had completed.
The President maintained that government performance should be judged by projects delivered on the ground rather than by statements made by political opponents. He presented the criticism as part of a wider defence of his administration’s development agenda across regions with different political loyalties.
The remarks came during Ruto’s visit to Machakos County, where the commissioning of the water supply project provided an opportunity to highlight his government’s development plans in Ukambani.
The region is a key political base for Kalonzo, making the President’s efforts to showcase development projects there important to his broader political outreach.
With the 2027 General Election approaching, Ruto is seeking to persuade voters in the region to support his re-election bid, while Kalonzo remains a leading opposition figure.
By turning Kalonzo’s comments into a message about his administration’s achievements, Ruto sought to show that recognition of government projects could come even from leaders who oppose him politically.
The President’s central argument was that political rivalry should not prevent leaders from acknowledging development, as he continued to defend his record on infrastructure, water and healthcare ahead of the next election.