Ruto: Why IG Kanja was present during my Mt Kenya tour

President William Ruto addressing residents of Chuka in Tharaka Nithi county on April 4, 2025/HANDOUT

President William Ruto has defended the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja for attending some of his events during his tour of the Mt Kenya region.

The IG attended the president’s meeting in Nyeri on Tuesday, attracting criticism from a section of Kenyans.

However, the President said the IG was right to attend the meeting as it was a public function.

Ruto was speaking in Chuka in Tharaka Nithi County on Friday while commissioning 60 housing units constructed by the national government for the National Police Service.

The president, who handed the building over to the IG, said the NPS has been struggling with providing decent housing for police officers.

“In Nyeri, I handed over title deeds to people of Nyeri, people who were deserving, and the IG attended the event. Now I’m seeing some people vilify him for it,” Ruto said.

“The IG is here today because I’m on a development tour of Tharaka Nithi, and in that tour, I have also handed over housing units to the police. It’s proper and right to hand them over to the IG,” he added.

Ruto appealed to leaders to cease perceiving everything through a political lens, saying there are far more important things to do before the elections are held.

“Between the five-year electoral cycle, there are more important stuff for us to do as a government and people. You can’t do politics for 24 hours a day, seven days a week for five years. The country would come to a standstill."

He said that time will come for the country to engage in politics, adding that the country must focus on development in which all Kenyans must participate.

He sought to clarify that no campaigns are being undertaken and that he’s just leading from the front on development matters as he promised.

He pledged to continue working with the police to secure the country, noting that his administration is in the process of establishing 27,000 housing units for the National Police Service.

The head of state noted that many officers, including those in the National Youth Service and the Prisons Department, have been living in deplorable conditions that make it difficult for them to deliver their mandate.

About 300 units are in various stages of completion at different stations in the country.

“I want the police to live in a decent and hygienic environment to help them deliver on their role of securing lives and property.”

The president added that his administration is in the process of reviewing terms of service for police officers.

On Thursday, the Law Society of Kenya demanded an apology from the IG for attending the meetings, saying he should not engage in activities that undermine the neutrality of his office.