President William Ruto's political narrative has shifted attention from deaths, police violence, and economic strain, analysts say, warning storytelling now drives Kenya's politics.
Political analyst Bosco Mutegi Kiura and Progress Plus Alliance (PPA) Party Leader Arnold Maliba said on Spice FM on Friday, December 19, that Ruto's messaging has crowded out debate on governance accountability and the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda.
"You do not win elections by speaking the truth; you win by speaking in narrative," said Maliba, describing Ruto as "the greatest propagandist of our time."
He argued that Kenyans have "forgotten about abductions and deaths that happened in 2024 and 2025" as political messaging shifts attention elsewhere.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) documented a total of 115 deaths across protest periods spanning June 2024 to July 2025.
The commission reported 62 deaths between June 2024 and February 2025, with 21 additional lives lost during the June 2025 protests marking the anniversary of the 2024 demonstrations.
On July 7, 2025, during Saba Saba Day commemorations, at least 38 people were killed according to KNCHR, marking the highest single-day death toll since the protests began.
Human Rights Watch and KNCHR have accused Kenyan security officers of abducting, torturing, and killing citizens believed to be protest leaders, with at least 32 cases of enforced or involuntary disappearances documented.
Maliba observed that Ruto has moved away from his original Bottom-up economic agenda to new messaging around digital transformation and the Singapore housing model. "The president does so well in car-top politics…he's quite the artist. Today, no one talks about the plan, no one talks about Bottom-up,” said Maliba.
Mutegi defended the affordable housing initiative, suggesting it represents meaningful progress for residents of informal settlements. "To some people who have lived in Mukuru, those affordable houses could be their Singapore," said Mutegi, referring to government affordable housing projects launched with pageantry in Nairobi's informal settlements.
At the same time, the political analyst warned that symbolism risks masking unresolved issues, including youth unemployment and police conduct.
He cited deaths in police custody and shootings during protests, saying such events jar with expectations in the 21st century.
The death of Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old teacher in police custody on June 7, sparked renewed protests. Police initially claimed he died from self-inflicted head injuries, but an autopsy revealed he was tortured to death.
Six police officers have since been charged with his murder.
The analysts placed the debate in a broader context of youth activism, pointing to Gen Z movements globally.
Their remarks came during a year-in-review discussion assessing how messaging by the presidency has reframed public perception, even as critics question whether the Bottom-up agenda delivered promised gains.
