Kenyan comedian, scriptwriter and SPM Buzz founder Eddie Butita has once again addressed the public debate surrounding his relationship with President William Ruto, maintaining that he has no regrets about his association with the Head of State despite prolonged criticism from sections of Kenyans online.
For months, Butita has remained among the public figures frequently dragged into conversations surrounding celebrity proximity to political power, with critics questioning whether entertainers and creatives risk becoming symbols of government endorsement when they appear close to political leaders.
However, Butita has now made his position clear: his interactions with President Ruto have always been professional and not political.
The comedian directly addressed the long-running criticism surrounding his perceived closeness to State House, stressing that his intentions have been centered on advancing opportunities within Kenya’s creative industry rather than engaging in politics.
“That was a high, high, high moment of my career that I usually ask if there is higher than that. I love to experience it again. God has given me so much,” he said.
According to Butita, his involvement in government-linked conversations and initiatives has largely been driven by a desire to benchmark growth and create pathways for creatives to access larger platforms and opportunities.
He explained that collaborating with national leaders on issues affecting the entertainment and creative sectors should not automatically be interpreted as political allegiance.
His remarks come after months of public scrutiny, particularly following his participation in high-profile engagements involving President Ruto.
One of the moments that significantly amplified the debate was Butita’s inclusion in the President’s state visit to the United States where he visited the Tyler Perry Studios. The trip sparked widespread conversations online, with some social media users questioning the role of entertainers in official government delegations.
The backlash that followed was intense, with Butita becoming a regular topic of discussion across social media platforms.
Despite the criticism, he has remained firm in his position and says he has no regrets about the choices he made.
Butita openly acknowledged the heavy criticism that he has received from Kenyans online but indicated that public pressure had not changed his perspective.
Instead, he reiterated that engaging with leaders on matters affecting creatives should not be mistaken for accepting responsibility for every decision made by a government.
The issue has recently resurfaced following discussions around the high-profile Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi.
The event, co-hosted by President Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron, attracted significant public attention and also reignited discussions around the relationship between creatives and political leadership.
During the summit, debate intensified online after several Kenyan artists and content creators faced accusations of acting as what some critics called “decorations for power.”
The phrase quickly gained traction across social media, with users questioning whether artists and digital creators attending such events were genuinely advancing industry interests or merely lending cultural influence to political spaces.
