President William Ruto has issued a bold challenge to political opponents he accuses of attempting to destabilise his administration through orchestrated chaos and mass protests.
Speaking in Nairobi during the launch of an affordable housing project, Ruto declared, "I dare you to overthrow me," in reference to what he called reckless political maneuvers masked as demonstrations. "I am not a coward. If you want to remove me, don’t hide behind young people or rent goons. Come face me directly," the President said, lashing out at unnamed political figures he believes are inciting unrest."Ruto, I say this with a lot of humility—anger will not help you," Gachagua said. "The people of Kenya are angrier than you are. You need to know what to do."
The protests, largely led by Kenya’s Gen Z youth, have rocked the country in recent weeks. Triggered by the controversial Housing Levy, economic hardship, and the death of blogger Albert Ojwang’ in police custody, the demonstrations have drawn thousands of young people into the streets. Many of these youth, born after 2000, have no memory of the single-party rule and are more willing to question authority.
"They have no memory of the rough times," said Prof Macharia Munene of USIU. "But they’ve learned how to ask questions."
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, at least 31 people have died in the most recent unrest, in addition to 19 killed during demonstrations on June 25.
Anger over police brutality is at a boiling point. Police stations in Nyamira, Homa Bay, Kiambu, and Nyandarua have been torched by protesters, who accuse officers of targeting civilians. Journalists covering the demonstrations have also faced violence and harassment. Gachagua criticised the government’s response and listed the drivers of discontent: high taxes, corruption, extrajudicial killings, abductions, and ethnic profiling. "If you want to be calm, abolish the Housing Levy and give dignity to the pay slips," he said. "Restore the capacity of the middle class. They will create jobs for the youth."He further defended the Gen Z protesters against allegations of being used by political forces. "These young people are not sponsored. They are victims. You cannot bully them into silence," Gachagua said.
Meanwhile, the opposition denied plotting a coup and challenged Ruto to arrest those he believes are behind the unrest. "There is no coup. What we are seeing is a popular uprising against a regime that has lost touch with its people," said an opposition MP. President Ruto escalated the rhetoric, warning that attempts to unseat him through violence would not succeed. "We cannot change the regime through violence. That is not going to happen in this country," he said. He questioned why similar opposition was not directed at his predecessors, Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta. "Hii fujo yote wananiletea ni ya nini? Mbona hawakuletea Uhuru, mbona hawakuletea Kibaki?" ("Why cause all this chaos during my time? Why didn’t they do the same to Kibaki or Uhuru?"). Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen recently claimed that the protests resembled an attempted coup, pointing to attacks on Parliament, State House, and police stations as evidence of a coordinated plan. Ruto’s allies say the unrest is ethnically motivated and meant to delegitimise his presidency. Tiaty MP William Kamket commented, "Mt Kenya people don’t imagine themselves out of power." Gachagua, speaking from his Karen residence, accused the government of targeting Kikuyus economically and politically. "The targeted profiling of the Kikuyu community is an economic sabotage not new to William Ruto," he said. He further alleged state-backed goons were destroying businesses in Mt Kenya. "No one wants to overthrow your government through unlawful means," he told Ruto. "Stop crying wolf. There is no leader here planning a coup." Gachagua warned that the President was embracing authoritarianism: "He is dismantling democratic institutions. He is employing the machinery of outright dictatorship." He added: "We cannot buy the fear you are selling," and announced plans to travel to the United States, hinting at international engagement. Opposition figures like Martha Karua have joined the chorus demanding Ruto's resignation. "Ruto must go," Karua said. "If he cannot govern in accordance with the law, the people have the power to tell him to go." She proposed non-violent resistance including tax boycotts and economic pressure. "There are many ways of bringing this rogue regime to its knees without offering more blood," Karua said.Lands CS Alice Wahome urged for calm and condemned the destruction. "We must reject the spirit of destruction," she said, but acknowledged the unrest in Mt Kenya.
As the political crisis deepens, Kenya faces an uncertain future. According to police, 567 people have been arrested, including an MP. More than 100 civilians and 52 police officers have been injured. Over 200 vehicles and numerous businesses have been damaged or destroyed. Civil society groups say more than 140 people have died since 2023 during protests, with the latest toll standing at 31 from the Saba Saba demonstrations. As both Ruto and Gachagua double down on their positions, analysts warn the country risks sliding into deeper unrest unless meaningful dialogue and reform take place. "This isn’t just a political standoff. It’s a social reckoning," said political analyst Sylvia Wambui. "Kenya’s leadership must stop shouting at each other and start listening to the people."
With 2027 fast approaching, the stakes have never been higher. The battle lines are drawn—between a President defending his mandate and former allies seeking a new direction.
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