President William Ruto on Friday hit back at his critics, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua even as he defended his verbal exchanges with opposition leaders.
The President however maintained that that his primary focus remains development.
Speaking in Kisumu on Friday as he began his Nyanza tour, the President dismissed claims that his remarks were unpresidential.
Ruto argued he had only responded after enduring sustained attacks for over two years.
“I have been insulted continuously for two years. The other day I responded just once. I did not use abusive language. I simply told them their conduct is not right and asked them to have discipline,” Ruto said.
The Head of State questioned why his response had drawn criticism, maintaining that the opposition had initiated the confrontation.
“They started it. I asked them to compete with ideas, policies, and vision, but they said they have none. Their entire agenda is William Ruto. What was I supposed to do?” he posed.
Ruto also dismissed accusations of body shaming, saying his remarks were intended as advice rather than insults.
“I was only giving advice based on what they have been telling me. How is that unpresidential? How is that wrong?” he said.
In a pointed message seemingly directed at Gachagua and other critics, the President said he would dedicate only a small fraction of his time to political confrontations.
“One per cent of my time I will use to deal with them, but 99 percent will focus on development—railways, roads, healthcare, agriculture, and education,” he stated.
Even as he addressed the political tensions, Ruto used the platform to outline an ambitious development agenda, particularly for the Nyanza region.
He expressed confidence that Kenya’s sugar industry would soon become globally competitive, projecting that the country could become a net exporter within the next two years.
“In the next two to three years, Kenya will be a net exporter of sugar. We do not need COMESA safeguards anymore. Our farmers are strong enough to compete globally,” he said.
On education, the President noted that reforms in university funding had stabilised institutions that were previously struggling financially.
“Most of our universities were technically insolvent because of a flawed funding model. Now we are on the right track. We have streamlined the system, employed 23,000 teachers, and stabilised education,” he said.
He said education remains a key equaliser and that no child should be denied schooling due to financial constraints.
“There should not be any child in Kenya who misses education because they cannot afford it. This sector must work for all,” he added.
Ruto singled out Kisumu county as a model in the implementation of Universal Health Coverage, praising Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o for championing the initiative.
“Kisumu is among the best-performing counties in registering people under SHA. Universal health coverage is becoming a reality through cooperation between the national and county governments,” he said.
The President also highlighted major infrastructure plans, including the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway from Kisumu to Busia and Malaba, with Uganda expected to link its network onward to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“We are not just building a railway; we are building a logistics corridor. Kisumu will have a major logistics hub that will transform business across East and Central Africa,” he said.
Ruto noted that the railway revival could mirror Kisumu’s historical growth, which was anchored on rail transport.
“As we are transforming Nairobi through rail, we will do the same for Kisumu. This will completely turn around the city,” he added.
The President revealed that the government is investing approximately Sh45 billion in Kisumu county across various sectors. They include the construction of 15,000 affordable housing units valued at Sh34 billion, 24 modern markets worth Sh5.5 billion, and hostels to accommodate 10,000 students.
“We are changing the politics of tribalism and hatred. Equity is important because we are one nation,” Ruto said.
He announced that the long-stalled Moi Stadium in Kisumu would be completed by December at a cost of Sh900 million.
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