Kenya Newspapers Review: 40 Mt Kenya MPs Say It’s Becoming Difficult to Sell Ruto’s Re-election Bid
On Monday, July 21, the national dailies widely reported on the TV interview featuring former ODM leader Raila Odinga.
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The papers also reported on the frustrations of Mt Kenya lawmakers allied to President William Ruto.
1. The Star
The paper reported on the move by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to charge activist Boniface Mwangi with terrorism.
On Sunday, July 20, the DCI issued a statement explaining why they arrested the vocal human rights activist.
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In the statement, the detectives disclosed that Mwangi was arrested for allegedly facilitating terrorist activities during the June 25 protests.
"Detectives searched Mwangi's office at Mageuzi Hub, Rose Avenue in Hurlingham, where they recovered: nine assorted external hard drives, two laptops, company seals for Brave Media Ltd and Courage Ltd, a company stamp, six chequebooks, copies of stamp duty documents, two unused tear gas canisters and one 7.62mm blank round," the statement read.
Mwangi is currently in custody at Pangani Police Station, where he is undergoing processing to be arraigned on Monday, July 21, 2025, for offences related to facilitation of terrorist acts and unlawful possession of ammunition.
2. Daily Nation
The paper reported on the frustrations of Mt. Kenya lawmakers allied to the Kenya Kwanza Alliance government.
Over 40 MPs loyal to President William Ruto said mistakes by some government-allied leaders are making it increasingly difficult to sell his reelection bid. During a press briefing last week, the leaders cited reckless public statements, ethnic slurs, inflammatory remarks about the 2027 elections, unequal empowerment programmes and the failure to contain Rigathi Gachagua as factors fuelling growing resentment in the region.
Under the auspices of the Mt. Kenya Parliamentary Caucus, the lawmaker lamented that unresolved issues are making it impossible to rally pro-government support in the region.
The Service Party leader, Mwangi Kiunjuri, said statements by some of Ruto's allies from other regions, such as alleged plans to rig the 2027 elections, are making the president less popular.
“We are working hard to ensure Mt. Kenya does not abandon this government. But some of our people must tame their mouths. You cannot build a president with hate speech and threats of vote-rigging or violence.
“Let us project the president as peaceful, warm and development-oriented. We keep sabotaging ourselves right when we are about to break through. We are facing difficulty selling our success story and it is time to call out those among us making our work harder,” Kiunjuri said.
The lawmakers demanded more disciplined messaging and a coordinated plan for selling the president’s agenda.
3. Taifa Leo
The Swahili publication reported on the exclusive interview with ODM leader Raila Odinga over his calls for dialogue.
Speaking on NTV on Sunday, July 20, Raila insisted that only an intergenerational conclave can resolve the issues affecting the country.
"These issues will not be solved by Ruto going home, because Ruto may go home then you have Gachagua there - tomorrow you'll be shouting Gachagua Must Go, or Kalonzo Must Go. So we must find a way of dealing with these issues once and for all," Raila said.
He suggested that the dialogue should start at the polling station and continue to the national level, arguing that through such initiatives, sentiments of all Kenyans will be captured.
"My suggestion is that this dialogue start from the grassroots—at the polling station where everybody has the right to assemble. They discuss the issues that affect them at that level, and then elect their representatives to go to the next level (the Ward level), and then to the Sub County, county, and eventually the National Conclave," he said.
4. The Standard
President William Ruto called on parents to take greater responsibility for the upbringing of their children.
During a church service at AIC Bomani in Machakos County on Sunday, July 20, the president warned that neither the government nor institutions like the church can replace the role of parenting.
“Our children are a gift from God to our families and the nation. We must mentor them; parenting is a God-given responsibility. Don’t abdicate it to the church or the government. Don’t let your child be brought up by passers-by," Ruto said.
Ruto warned the parents against surrendering their children to be shaped by police, arguing that police are trained to deal with criminals, not to parent.
“All of us must take responsibility if our children do the wrong thing. Police are trained to deal with criminals, not in parenting. If you surrender your children to the police, what do you expect? I take time to parent my children, and so must everybody," he stated.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
