‘Wantam’ worries? How Ruto is spending millions to win over restive voters

President William Ruto during the empowerment programme of over 1,100 business groups in Nairobi. The groups received, among others, water tanks /PCS

President William Ruto has launched an aggressive and well-oiled counter-offensive to the ‘Wantam’ call, splashing huge sums of cash and hobbling the opposition to strengthen his re-election path.

Wantam is a corrupted version of one term.

The head of state has rolled out multi-million-shilling empowerment programmes targeting women and youth, and made hefty donations in harambees and churches.

“We will not succumb to the blackmail of one term. We know where we are going as a nation,” the President told more than 15,000 youths at the State House during the Nairobi county empowerment programme on Saturday.

He is also banking on tangible achievements such as stabilisation of the cost of living, delivery of the affordable housing programme and transformation in the health sector to win over voters.

The sports-fan-in-chief is also courting football fans — many of them disgruntled Gen Z with Sh2.5 million rewards for Harambee Stars if they defeat Zambia in the final CHAN match on Sunday, August 17. He is also showering them with housing rewards.

The President is widening his political networks through his partnership with newfound friend Raila Odinga.

Key lieutenants of Raila are now vocally backing his administration, praising his scorecard to date and promising better times to come.

As part of his deal with Raila, Ruto’s administration ordered swift compensation of victims of police brutality, expected to cost millions of shillings.

At the same time, the President has tightened restrictions on the opposition — the architects of the ‘Wantam!’ mantra and movement.

Police are increasingly cracking down on and closely monitoring their activities. 

Often, the police have prevented the opposition brigade from attending church services and political events in what the critics call a clear strategy to weaken them.

Some opposition members have been taken to DCI offices for questioning over alleged links to the recent wave of protests that have rocked the country.

The approach resembles — but does mimic the darkest tactics of his political mentor, President Daniel Moi — who used state resources and political suppression to intimidate and mute rivals.

Moi systematically suppressed opposition and internal dissent by expelling wayward Kanu members and crippling enemies financially. 

While the opposition and some analysts have downplayed Ruto’s empowerment efforts as unsustainable and unrealistic, his allies and other observers say they are life-changing and could attract a mass number of needy residents.

“Empowerment is a powerful tool for grassroots politics. It is creating a huge impact on mama mboga, women and youth groups,” Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo said.

Political commentator Martin Andati argued, however, that some of Ruto’s tactics cannot work in the current dispensation.

“He is a ‘Moist’ who is still living in the past. There are so many things that have changed, like the constitution and demographics,” Andati told the Star.

Ruto is generally seen as a ‘first-class honours’ student of Moi, known as the professor of politics.

He started by leading the Youth for Kanu (YK92) lobby, which played a key role in Moi’s 1992 re-election campaign. His apprenticeship to Moi is believed to have provided him with a foundation in Kenyan political strategies and manoeuvring.

Currently, the President faces mounting pressure, even as the opposition pledges to find a strong and popular alternative.

Chants of ‘Wantam!’ – coined by Ruto’s impeached former deputy Rigathi Gachagua – have dominated social media, football matches, political rallies, and ‘wantam’ is bandied about in bar chatter.

 “We will make whatever sacrifices necessary to make sure William Ruto is a one-term president,” Gachagua recently said.

Ruto has pledged not to bow to what he calls ‘wantam blackmail’, responding with multi-million-shilling programmes and public giveaways.

He and his allies cite tangible achievements in affordable housing and related formal jobs, TVET training and jobs at home and abroad, agricultural reforms, better healthcare and SHA insurance, among others. 

Ruto’s allies have praised his initiatives as transformative, systemic, saying the full benefits of some are not instantly visible but will become entrenched, hence, the need for a second term. 

“The President promised to uplift the poor and downtrodden,” Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei said.

“That is exactly what he is doing. He has not deviated from that. He is focused despite what other people are saying.”

Cherargei said the head of state started his empowerment programmes long before he was elected.

 Opposition figures, however, have dismissed Ruto’s efforts, especially giveaways, as outdated, unsustainable and failing to address root problems.

“Those are not empowerment programmes,” Gachagua, who is now the leader of Democracy for the Citizens Party, said. “That is daytime bribery of voters using public funds.”

DCP deputy leader Cleophas Malala said the ‘Wantam’ movement is unstoppable, accusing Ruto of mismanagement. 

“Whatever Ruto is doing is not sustainable. It is a pedestrian way of governing a country,” Malala said. “Kenyans are clever enough to see through Ruto’s PR gimmicks.”

Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua, a close ally of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, said money cannot buy loyalty, especially from struggling voters.

“There is a limit to what money can buy. He has another two years to complete his term, but he must remember that choices have consequences,” he said.

He accused the President of using state machinery, especially the police, to stifle opposition activities. The police have often denied being used to play politics.

“Using the police to disrupt public gatherings hosted by opposition leaders can only serve to make President Ruto and his administration look bad in the eyes of the masses.”

In recent weeks, police have blocked opposition politicians from attending church services and addressing political gatherings.

Last week, police fired teargas at a meeting attended by Gachagua allies, led by Nyandarua Senator John Methu, in Gilgil, Nakuru county.

The DCP condemned the incident as unlawful, branding it a direct assault on democracy. 

“The Political Parties Act and the Constitution of Kenya guarantee every political party the right to freely engage, organise and mobilise support across the country,” the party statement read. 

In Murang’a county, Methu and other Gachagua allies were tear-gassed and blocked from addressing rallies after a church service last month.

Kirinyaga Senator James Murango, another close ally of the former DP, slammed what he termed dictatorial tendencies last seen during the Moi era.

“We have never seen this level of dictatorship and human rights violation since the old days. Abuse of office has reached another level,” Murango said.

Ruto, DP Kithure Kindiki and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, have been on a near-daily countrywide “empowerment tour,” distributing millions of shillings, sewing machines, salon and barber equipment, carpentry tools, boda bodas and other items to youth, women’s groups and others. 

On Tuesday, the President continued his donation drive in Kakamega, promising more across the country to woo voters uneasy with his leadership.

He announced an initiative in which 100,000 young Kenyans will each receive Sh50,000 in startup capital beginning next month to tackle youth unemployment.

Ruto called it part of the government’s broader strategy to transform the economic landscape by empowering young people through targeted investments in enterprise, skills and savings.

“I am pleased to report that the first phase of 54,000 young people will receive their Sh50,000 start-up capital next month. This will pave the way for their skills training to commence next month,” the President said.

In the ongoing CHAN, the President has pledged Sh1 million to each of the 27 players and 15 technical bench members for every game won, and Sh500,000 for a draw.

He promised to raise the win bonus to Sh2.5 million if Kenya beats Zambia’s Chipolopolo on Sunday.

“If they triumph in the quarter-finals, each will be gifted Sh1 million and a two-bedroom affordable housing unit in a location of their choice,” the President said.

If the Stars make the finals, Ruto says the prize houses will be upgraded to three bedrooms.