President William Ruto in Sigor, West Pokot County on Friday/ HANDOUT
President William Ruto has warned Kenyans against gambling with the country's future by electing opposition leaders in the 2027 general election.
The Head of State claimed opposition chiefs have no development agenda, track record, or capacity to transform the nation.
“Let us not gamble with the future of our nation. Let us not do games of trial and error with our nation with people who do not have a track record, have no plan, have no agenda and who have nothing to offer our country,” Ruto said.
In a scathing attack on his political rivals, Ruto said the opposition are not keen to unveil their plan for the country because they fear accountability.
“They want power without responsibility. They want leadership without accountability,” the UDA boss said.
Speaking in Sigor, West Pokot county, on Friday, the President said next year's general election should be a contest of development programmes, manifestos and proven leadership rather than ethnic mobilisation and political rhetoric.
He singled out Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, whom he dismissed as politicians incapable of offering alternative leadership.
He referred to Sifuna as “Mr Empty”, Matiang'i as “Mr River Yala” and Kalonzo as “Mr 40”, in a fresh escalation of his political offensive against the opposition.
“Those other people who are being led by Mr Empty, Mr River Yala and Mr 40 have no plan. They have no agenda. They have no programme. They have no vision,” Ruto said.
“All they are trying to sell to us is hate, anger, ethnicity and division.”
The President maintained that his administration will continue implementing development projects across the country, accusing his critics of trivialising government programmes without providing viable alternatives.
He particularly took issue with Sifuna, who has dismissed his administration's markets, road construction and affordable housing projects as cosmetic developments.
“There are some people with little minds. They are saying this market is a shiny thing. That road is a shiny thing. That affordable housing is a shiny thing,” he said.
“I want to tell these people, please, give us a break. If you don't have minds on how to take Kenya forward, don't waste our time.”
Ruto defended his development record, insisting that every region deserves an equitable share of government projects regardless of political affiliation.
He said his administration was determined to end discrimination in the distribution of public resources and ensure previously marginalised regions benefit from national development.
“You cannot sell us ethnicity. You cannot sell us anger and hate. You cannot sell us discrimination. We want to unite and be one,” he said.
“Every part of Kenya must be part of development.”
The President accused his rivals of lacking practical solutions to challenges facing Kenyans, including infrastructure development, healthcare and economic transformation.
“If you ask them about roads, they don't know. They have no plan for health, markets and anything. Our competitors do not have a plan for our nation,” Ruto said.
“They want power without responsibility. They want leadership without accountability.”
In Makutano town, Ruto challenged opposition leaders to present their manifestos and allow voters to compare their development proposals with his administration's record.
He insisted that Kenyans had become politically mature and would not be swayed by ethnic alliances or campaigns built around personal attacks.
“These citizens of Kenya will elect every leader on account of their track record, on account of their plan for the country,” he said.
“Kenya is a democracy, and we celebrate our democracy because we are proudly democratic.”
He maintained that the 2027 contest should be decided by competing visions for the country's future rather than attempts to mobilise communities against one another.
“I have challenged our counterparts. I have told them, let us compete based on a plan, based on an agenda, based on a manifesto for the transformation of our country,” Ruto said.
“They have got no capacity to change anything. They are telling us that they are going to sell anger, hate and ethnicity to our nation.”
