NAIROBI, Kenya – Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has criticised his successor William Ruto, accusing him of stifling dissent and eroding key social programmes initiated during his administration.
Speaking Friday at the Jubilee Party’s National Delegates Conference (NDC) at Ngong Racecourse in Nairobi, Uhuru cited the government’s heavy-handed response to Gen Z-led protests as evidence of what he described as Ruto’s intolerance to opposing views.
“True leadership requires an open mind and a listening ear, even to those you disagree with—especially to the voices of our younger generations,” he said. “It is about learning from past mistakes to build a better future for the common good, not advancing class politics of the haves and have-nots.”
Uhuru argued that inclusivity and dialogue were vital in navigating the demands of a rapidly changing world, warning that without them, the country risked sinking into despair.
He also lamented what he called the reversal of gains made during his administration, pointing to the collapse of maternal health initiative Linda Mama, which he said had been replaced with “untested experiments.”
“And while we wait for these experiments to work, Kenyans suffer and our progress is retarded,” Uhuru said.
The former president’s remarks appeared to be a direct rebuttal to Ruto’s “hustler versus dynasty” narrative, which he said drowned out his calls for national unity during the last general election.
Uhuru and Ruto were once close allies, having risen to power together in 2013, but their relationship soured ahead of the 2022 polls when Uhuru backed opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Since Ruto’s narrow victory, the rift between the two has remained, with Friday’s remarks leaving little doubt that Uhuru believes his successor has fallen short of expectations.
