NAIROBI, Kenya- A video showing senior Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) leaders aboard a private jet after attending President William Ruto’s rally in Eldoret has drawn criticism online, with opponents questioning the optics of the trip amid public concern over household costs, jobs and government spending.
The clip shows passengers seated in a spacious aircraft cabin as they travel from Eldoret, where Ruto held a major rally on Saturday.
Those identified in the video include Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro and Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse.
The trip followed the cross-party rally, where Ruto was joined by ODM and UDA leaders as he defended the parties’ cooperation and made his case ahead of the 2027 General Election.
ODM leaders at the event voiced support for the arrangement with the President, while Ruto urged voters to back his re-election bid.
The video drew sharp responses from critics on X.
Abbie Zuena accused some leaders of using the legacy of the late Raila Odinga for political gain, writing that there were “those who loved Baba and those who used him”.
She said Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna had vowed to stand by Odinga’s family and would seek the presidency next year.
Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru mocked the contrast between the leaders’ apparent air travel and the economic difficulties facing many Kenyans.
In his post, he referred to millions of people facing hunger and criticised what he described as lavish travel by government leaders.
The figure he cited was part of his commentary; his post did not provide a source for it.
Another X user, Kiprono, used sarcasm to link the video to the government’s affordable housing programme and salary deductions
“We don’t have money to build affordable housing, so now we must deduct your salaries. Same government,” he wrote.
The posts reflect a wider debate about how leaders’ travel and public spending are perceived during a period when many households are watching the cost of food, transport and housing.
Kenya’s economy grew by 5.1 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
Annual inflation, however, rose to 6.8 per cent in September, driven in part by food, transport and housing-related costs.
The Eldoret rally also carried a clear political message.
Ruto and senior leaders from both parties used the event to present their alliance as a basis for continued cooperation and development, while critics of the government have questioned its priorities and record on jobs and the cost of living.
