President William Ruto in Kacheliba, West Pokot county, on Wednesday /HANDOUTPresident William Ruto has unleashed a blistering attack on The Equitable Party leader Edwin Sifuna, branding him clueless, visionless and sponsored as the battle for the 2027 race intensifies.
In a hard-hitting offensive during his tours of Trans Nzoia and West Pokot counties on Wednesday, Ruto accused former President Uhuru Kenyatta of sponsoring Sifuna to undermine his administration and frustrate his re-election bid.
The President particularly took issue with Sifuna’s promise to dismantle some of his flagship programmes, including the affordable housing levy and the Social Health Authority (SHA), if elected President.
“That sponsor, am I not the person who helped him? Didn’t I campaign for him? All the work he tried, he was unable to do,” Ruto said in Kiminini, Trans Nzoia.
“Now, because I have done all that work, he has gone to hire some people to come and oppose SHA, affordable housing and everything that we are doing.”
Although he did not mention Uhuru by name, his remarks appeared to be directed at his former political ally, whom he has repeatedly accused of financing opposition activities.
Sifuna has emerged as a surprise challenger.
The Nairobi senator has been gaining political traction, with recent opinion polls suggesting that his popularity has risen sharply in recent months.
However, during his tours, Ruto dismissed his competitors as political lightweights incapable of offering a credible alternative to his administration.
“What we have as an alternative in Kenya is a clueless, visionless, sponsored and useless opposition,” he said.
In Kacheliba, West Pokot, the President mocked Sifuna over the launch of a party he described as "empty".
“I saw another fellow, Mr Empty, launching a political party called the Empty Party. But immediately after the launch, he headed straight to a bar,” Ruto said.
“The last time I saw him, he was with Koffi Olomide, seated at a table overflowing with expensive liquor.”
He also ridiculed Sifuna’s crowdfunding strategy.
“The man himself is empty, his political party is empty and the only thing left is alcohol. And to make matters worse, he dares to ask women to contribute Sh10 each to his political outfit,” he said.
“Hasn’t it already been swallowed up by the bar? Is that where its headquarters are? And this is the political party you expect Kenyans to vote for?”
Ruto’s latest remarks came amid an escalating public confrontation with Sifuna over the controversial housing levy, SHA contributions and other Kenya Kwanza programmes.
In a social media post on Wednesday morning, Sifuna accused Ruto of burdening working Kenyans with punitive deductions to finance what he termed wasteful government programmes.
“Is he done ranting about the 24K I pay for his housing scam because kuna hii 43K I pay every month for his SHA scam we also need to discuss,” Sifuna said.
He further accused the administration of squandering taxpayers’ money while ordinary workers struggled under heavy taxation.
“In 2027, we are cutting the fat out of our budget to bring relief to all Kenyan workers. The housing levy will go with Ruto,” he declared.
However, Ruto defended the SHA contributions, insisting that wealthy Kenyans must shoulder a greater responsibility for financing healthcare for vulnerable citizens.
“Those with more money must pay more to SHA. Those with little money should be supported. That is the essence of bottom-up,” he said.
The President accused his opponents of exploiting public frustrations without presenting alternative policies.
“Our competitors want to sell us anger, hate and ethnicity. We are not buying that because it amounts to nothing,” Ruto said.
He challenged the opposition to present a development blueprint instead of relying on slogans such as “Wantam”, “Kasongo” and “Must Go”.
“They don’t have any plan, policy or vision,” he said.
Ruto maintained that his administration would seek re-election on its record in healthcare, education, infrastructure and affordable housing.
“In 2022, Kenyans voted for a plan and vision. That is why transformation is working,” he said.
In Trans Nzoia, the President also attacked Governor George Natembeya over what he termed a preoccupation with ‘Tawe’ politics at the expense of development.
“Don’t be worried. Those people, I will sort them very early in the morning. They are not a threat,” Ruto said.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
Ruto’s attacks on Sifuna signal growing anxiety over the emergence of an alternative opposition figure capable of mobilising disaffected voters ahead of 2027. By portraying his rivals as clueless and sponsored, the President seeks to delegitimise their challenge while shifting the debate from public discontent over taxation and SHA to his development record. However, personal insults risk amplifying Sifuna’s profile and reinforcing perceptions that the administration is uncomfortable with scrutiny.
