NDIRANGU: Is ‘Ruto Must Go’ slogan genuine or manufactured rage?

The anti-government demonstrations that took place in 2024, which saw tens of thousands of Kenyan youths take to the streets to voice their concerns, led to the emergence of a political agenda that has now been adopted by certain politicians as a tool to further their interests in the run-up to the 2027 general election. Its slogan: Ruto Must Go.

While their reasons are based on areas that they believe have not been addressed by President William Ruto and his deputy, Kithure Kindiki, some Kenyans have a different and positive opinion, stating that the situation on the ground speaks for itself.

The opposition side have held on several occasions that their reasons are genuine, based on the three years that the Ruto has served, compared with his achievements. Some of the areas they have criticised include appointments to key government positions in his administration, claiming the recent appointments favour the President’s tribe, the Kalenjin.

They have also criticised the ongoing affordable housing project, claiming that it is being forced upon Kenyans. While they ignore the fact that the living standards of thousands of Kenyans are shifting from slums to modern housing, reality will prevail.

In a visit to Mukuru kwa Njenga in Embakasi South, Arnold Ochieng said he lost his belongings and child just two years ago when fire razed tens of houses. He said that he could not think twice about the idea of moving out of the temporary makeshift houses.

“I was lucky to be among the people who were the first to move to the modern affordable houses. The process was smooth but I wanted this to keep save my remaining children. I lost my firstborn in a fire that gutted the estate,” Ochieng said.

Like Ochieng, Sarah Kemunto believes the ‘Ruto Must Go’ agenda is being engineered by the people who do not have the interests of Kenyans at heart.

“Mimi niko na watoto watatu, Sijawahi hata kaa kwa nyumba mzuri kama hii hapa New Mukuru estate. Hii ni kazi nzuri ya rais na mimi nitampigia kura 2027,” she said. Loosely translated, “I have three children. Yet, I have never lived in such a decent house such as the one in New Mukuru estate. The President has done well and that’s why I will vote for him in the 2027 election.”

The youth, who were in the front row of the slogan ‘Ruto Must Go’ agenda, have equally come out to speak their mind.

They said that Ruto’s government should prioritise the compensation of the families of the victims of anti-government protests, and that action should be taken against the police officers who were captured on camera shooting the protesters.

However, the compensation committee has faced several challenges, including court cases, in which the government was accused of seeking to use illegal means, while the same task could have been accomplished legally by some of its agencies.

Meanwhile, the victims continue to languish in pain, waiting for the court cases to be cleared.

The compensation issue was also elaborated upon in the 10-point agenda that was signed by President Ruto and the former ODM leader Raila Odinga, who died last October.

“We went to protest outside the Supreme Court due to the cartels, which we think have captured the courts. We are now one year to the next election and we are asking the President to come out and pay us at least to earn a living. Where is the opposition now? Why are they silent on this matter? James Wafula asked.

Wafula said the government has expressed its willingness to address the matter, but the courts are now being used by politicians and other cartels to delay their rights.

“I will not go to the street again,” he said. “We were genuine when we demonstrated against the high cost of living and the punitive tax that the Kenya Kwanza government was imposing on us. But some people came and hijacked the protests and are now using us as their bait to benefit their interests.”

Meanwhile, farmers are celebrating the reduction of the price of fertiliser in a subsidy programme that saw a 50kg bag of the commodity dropping by Sh7,000 in 2022 to Sh2,500 by 2025.

President Ruto said the initiative was aimed at improving national food security, lowering production costs and increasing maize yields.

On the other hand, the price of coffee for thousands of farmers across the country, and the majority from Mt Kenya and Rift Valley region are celebrating the increased price from Sh50 per kilo to around Sh150 by 2025.

In Western region, the farmers of sugarcane are also feeling the positive impact of the current regime.

These and other achievements of the Kenya Kwanza government have not moved the stand of the opposition and other people who said that the government has not done enough for them.

“Why should I pay for SHA and be taxed for the affordable houses that I don’t see the next government supporting? I have my home, by the way, and they did not come to the ground to ask us if we want those houses,” Mark Kiptoo said in Nairobi.

Social media platforms have become powerful tools for spreading hate and love in equal measure. Bloggers on both sides are used to spread messages through various means, some of which are hateful.

Social media is being used as the opposition to the government and used by the opposition to target the youth, who are said to be active in consuming the information thorough such platforms.

The writer is a current affairs commentator from Kerugoya