NAIROBI, Kenya — Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has defended the opposition’s campaign to unseat President William Ruto, arguing that Kenyans are increasingly judging governments based on their commitment to constitutional values such as human rights, democracy and the rule of law rather than infrastructure development alone.
Speaking during Citizen TV’s The Explainer programme on Tuesday night, Sifuna said the opposition’s push for political change is anchored in Kenya’s democratic journey and the principles enshrined in the Constitution, not opposition to development projects.
Draws Comparison With Moi Era
The senator compared the current political climate to the 2002 General Election, when voters ended the late former President Daniel arap Moi’s 24-year rule despite his administration delivering major infrastructure projects.
Sifuna argued that Kenyans voted for change because they rejected authoritarian governance in favour of democratic ideals.
“We have a history as a country… there is a life we used to live, then we decided that this life has to stop. I will take you back to 2002, which is the first time that some of us were voting; when we were kicking out Moi, why were we saying Moi must go? Why were we saying the KANU state has to go? It’s not because Moi did not build stadiums. Moi is the one who built Kasarani and Moi stadiums,” he said.
He maintained that constitutional values remain central to how Kenyans evaluate leadership.
“There is a life we used to live that was unacceptable to us, especially as measured against the six essential values highlighted in the preamble of the Constitution; human rights, democracy, rule of law, social justice, equity and equality. Our lives have to be lived within a context of democratic ideals,” he added.
Human Rights Over Infrastructure
Sifuna argued that infrastructure development cannot compensate for alleged violations of constitutional rights, saying many Kenyans now prioritise the protection of life, freedoms and democratic governance.
“When you hear many people saying, ‘You tell us how many roads you’re going to build, it doesn’t matter how many people you’ve killed as a government,’ Kenyans are increasingly telling us that these values of human rights and the right to life are the reasons why they’re not going to be attracted by shiny things. We know that people who believe in democracy can also build stadiums and roads, but we don’t want a dictator in power,” he said.
Questions Ruto’s Declining Support
While acknowledging that President Ruto enjoyed significant public support during the 2022 General Election, particularly among ordinary Kenyans, Sifuna questioned why that backing had diminished.
“William Ruto, I will accept that in the election of 2022, he rode on a very popular wave, especially with the small mwananchi. Then you have to ask him how did he lose all of that support? What are some of the things that he did?” he posed.
He accused the administration of failing to embrace public participation, which he said is a constitutional requirement under Article 10.
“First of all, you get in and power gets to your head and you become very obstinate that you refuse to listen to the people. There is a value under Article 10 which talks about public participation; we’re servants of the people, you have to listen to the people. If the people tell you that they don’t want something, you don’t force it on them just because you’re in power,” he said.
Criticises Government Response to Protests
The Nairobi senator revisited the 2023 anti-government demonstrations led by opposition leader Raila Odinga, saying protesters initially sought dialogue over the rising cost of living before the protests escalated.
“We started by having a conversation at Jeevanjee Gardens and we told the government the things we felt they needed to address. First of all, the cost of living was going way beyond the capacity of many Kenyans, and you need to listen so that you’re able to make interventions to assuage the suffering of the population,” he said.
He alleged that the government’s response was characterised by force instead of engagement.
“Instead of listening to us, we were met with teargas and bullets in the streets and we lost a lot of lives,” Sifuna claimed.
Questions Housing Levy Priorities
Sifuna also criticised the government’s tax policies and questioned the implementation of the Affordable Housing Programme, arguing that development priorities should reflect the needs of individual communities.
Using Busia County as an example, he said residents would benefit more from investment in healthcare and education than housing projects.
“President William Ruto claims he’s trying to eliminate slums. What slums was he eliminating in Funyula? The priorities of the people in the area mean something, and you have to listen to them. If you spoke to the people of Busia, they would rather that concrete and steel was used in expanding the Busia hospital, doing schools and other things, because that is their priority,” he said.
He added that the housing programme should ultimately be judged by whether it improves living conditions in informal settlements.
Opposition Vision Rooted in Constitution
Referring to the deadly anti-government protests witnessed in 2024, Sifuna said the deaths could have been avoided if the government had listened to public concerns earlier.
“All of those deaths were very avoidable. All William Ruto needed to do was to listen to the people,” he said.
The senator concluded by saying the opposition’s vision for government is guided by constitutional principles rather than personalities or campaign rhetoric.
“The kind of government that Kenyans want is already in our Constitution; one that is based on the essential values of human rights, equality, freedom, democracy, social justice and the rule of law. These are not abstract concepts,” he said.