NAIROBI, Kenya — Allies of President William Ruto from the Ukambani region have sharply criticized former President Uhuru Kenyatta, dismissing his recent claims that the current administration is dismantling the progress made during his tenure.
The counter-attack follows Kenyatta’s address at the Jubilee Party National Delegates Conference on Friday, where he faulted the Kenya Kwanza government for what he termed “untested and untried experiments” that were causing distress among Kenyans.
In his critique, the former President said: “Today, many of the gains of the past have been eroded. Linda Mama and others have been replaced by new, untried and untested schemes. While we wait for these experiments to work, Kenyans suffer and our progress is dragged.”
He further added a warning regarding past political choices: “As we continue to dwell in rhetoric rather than progress, we repeat the mistakes of the past. Some of the truths we spoke of and some of the myths have become the nightmares that many are living with,”
Mwala Member of Parliament and UDA National Organizing Secretary Vincent Kawaya immediately dismissed Kenyatta’s claims, accusing him of mismanaging the nation’s finances.
“Uhuru Kenyatta should retire honourably and stop lecturing those who are fixing the mess he left behind. He ran down the country, and President Ruto is working overtime to rebuild it,” Kawaya said during a community empowerment event in Kitui town.
Kawaya defended the current administration’s focus on bold, long-term programs, predicting these initiatives would ensure President Ruto’s “undisputed re-election” in 2027. He also criticized the previous administration’s projects, specifically labeling the Nairobi Expressway as an exploitative initiative that unfairly benefited Kenyatta’s associates at the expense of ordinary citizens. The MP challenged critics to propose viable alternatives instead of merely engaging in “fault-finding.”
Echoing those sentiments, Kitui South MP Dr. Rachael Nyamai lauded the affordable housing program as a crucial, transformative initiative that previous regimes lacked the courage to pursue.
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“Some leaders feared pursuing tough national projects like affordable housing, but this government has shown courage. The benefits in terms of dignified living and economic empowerment are immense,” Nyamai stated.
The legislators also addressed the ongoing disruption caused by the lecturers’ strike, appealing to the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) to return to negotiations and prioritize student welfare.
In international affairs, Kawaya and Nyamai praised President Ruto’s recent address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for its clarity and statesmanship.
Kawaya pointedly contrasted the President’s diplomatic performance with past delegations: “Unlike former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who turned a previous U.S. visit into a platform for tribal rhetoric, Ruto showed real leadership on the global stage.”
The leaders ultimately insisted that the Kenya Kwanza administration is on the right trajectory and called for patience as reforms are implemented.
