William Ruto Questions Why There Were No Protests to Force Kibaki to Step Down: "Kisirani Ya Nini?"
- President William Ruto lashed out at critics, accusing them of hypocrisy and comparing their protests to events never faced by past presidents
- Visibly irritated, Ruto questioned why Kenyans tolerated Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta’s economic struggles but now demand his resignation
- He promised to crush unrest by all means necessary, warning that no more businesses or property would be allowed to burn
- While protests rage nationwide, Ruto dismissed them as elitist chaos masked as activism, vowing to restore order
Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
President William Ruto has broken his silence over anti-government protests, slamming what he terms as selective outrage and double standards targeting his leadership.
Source: Twitter
During a public meeting on Wednesday, July 9, Ruto expressed frustration over what he described as a wave of unnecessary political agitation, rooted in double standards.
The president appeared visibly irritated as he compared the treatment he had received to that of his predecessors.
Ruto showed frustration at the mounting pressure, particularly those demanding his resignation amid economic discontent.
"They’re telling me all sorts of things—mentioning Moi this, Moi that. Moi was the president of the Republic of Kenya, just like Kibaki was, just like Uhuru was. And before Moi, there was Kenyatta. After Moi came Kibaki, and after Kibaki came Uhuru. So what’s all this noise about? Honestly... that’s nonsense!" Ruto stated.
Ruto questioned why the same energy and outrage weren’t directed at former presidents Mwai Kibaki or Uhuru Kenyatta, both of whom governed amid economic challenges.
"Why are they bringing all this chaos to me? Why didn’t they do this to Kibaki? Why didn’t they bring it to Uhuru? What’s with the arrogance and disrespect? No—that game needs to stop," Ruto added.
His remarks come against the backdrop of widespread demonstrations, many of them led by Gen Z activists.
What did Ruto promise Kenyans?
In recent weeks, protests have intensified, with clashes reported between demonstrators and police, several deaths documented, and properties destroyed.
But Ruto dismissed what he described as tribal and class-based narratives fueling the unrest, urging unity and dialogue instead of what he termed "kisirani."
"Let’s address our issues without tribalism, without hatred, pride or contempt. We are all Kenyans; we are all Kenyans, and no Kenyan is better than another. All of us are equal citizens of this country," the president observed.
Ruto warned that the government would not tolerate further destruction of property or attacks on businesses.
He accused some protest organisers of disguising criminal acts under the cover of peaceful demonstrations.
Source: Facebook
The president vowed to restore law and order using whatever means necessary, even as human rights groups raised concerns over the force used to quell protests.
"It is the responsibility of the government of Kenya, which I lead, that is going to make sure this war of destroying businesses and burning people's property will stop. It must stop. We're going to use whatever means to stabilize the country. We cannot accept mayhem and anarchy to destroy this country.
"You can call me whatever names you want to call me but I will make sure that there is peace and stability in Kenya by all means possible. I have been silent, I have tolerated them but the place has reached enough is enough. I want to say that for the avoidance of any doubt," Ruto declared.
Why will motion to oust Ruto fail?
In a related report, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino dismissed a social media challenge to initiate a presidential impeachment motion against Ruto.
When a user on X suggested he should pursue legal action in Parliament rather than protest on the streets, Owino responded that the proposal was unrealistic.
He claimed about 90% of MPs are aligned with Ruto, calling the legislature “compromised” and implying any impeachment effort would fail in the current setup.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
