Why Ruto, allies are desperate to have Uhuru out of 2027 gameplan

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta and President Ruto during the burial of the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at Bondo, October 19, 2025. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

The feud between President William Ruto and his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, continues to play out four years after Uhuru exited office.

Although both were political students of the second President, Daniel Moi, the two forged a formidable political marriage in 2013, after they were indicted in the International Criminal Court (ICC) for political survival.

When Uhuru formed The National Alliance (TNA), while Ruto formed United Republican Party (URP) and they defeated the late Raila Odinga’s Coalition for Reform and Democracy (CORD).

At the time, the two leaders’ camaraderie was visible; they wore matching shorts and ties and could appear to the public, folding their long-sleeved shirts to symbolically express their ability to work for Kenyans.

In one of the events to showcase their development track record during their re-election in 2017, Uhuru and Ruto, appearing in black suits and red ties, recited a poem with each reading a stanza detailing their promises to Kenyans and their track record.

They were cordial and had a warm working relationship that saw Uhuru delegate presidential powers to Ruto between 2013 and 2017, especially when he headed to The Hague, Netherlands, to answer the cases against humanity.

The two could later fall out a year after they were re-elected to the office, especially after Uhuru shook hands with the late Raila in what was famously known as the handshake.

The ‘brothers’ who wore matching outfits became political foes. Ruto, who had used his position to penetrate Uhuru’s political bedroom, not only snatched Uhuru’s foot soldiers who shifted allegiance to him but also took away his entire Constituency.

The leaders who had used Uhuru’s photos for their election ditched him for Ruto, accusing him of being a lame duck while claiming they could not ‘sell’ his project (Raila) in Mt Kenya region owing to Raila phobia that they said had been planted by Uhuru to the electorate.

The leaders, mainly youthful leaders who included Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Kimani Ichung’wa (Kikuyu), Deputy President (Kithure Kindiki), among others, made Uhuru the bogeyman.

What had started as a formidable political unit disintegrated into two warring political formations: the Kieleweke group led by Uhuru’s remnant soldiers, led by former Nyeri Town Ngunjiri Wambugu and the Tanga Tanga group, where Nyoro were the ring leaders.

They fought in churches and fundraisers all in the name of Uhu-Ruto, who were once blossom buddies.

After the 2022 election, there were efforts to reunite Uhuru and Ruto have proved futile.

On December 9 2024, after the Gen Z protests aimed at demanding accountability from Ruto’s administration, he visited Uhuru at his Ichaweri home to discuss ‘national unity, economic challenges, and political reconciliation.’

Ruto later picked Uhuru’s allies, who include Mutahi Kagwe, William Kabogo and Lee Kinyanjui and placed them in the Cabinet as a strategy to bring Uhuru on board to expand the Broad-Based government that he had established together with the late Raila.

The two later met on August 1, 2025, when Uhuru made his first return to State House, since the 2022 transition, to attend a joint EAC-SADC peace summit, where President Ruto gave him a casual tour of the renovated grounds.

A month after the visit, Uhuru attended a public event and encouraged Gen Z to continue fighting for their rights, telling them to stop being intimidated by the State, which indicated that the two leaders had not buried the hatchet.

Shida ya watu siku hizi sijui wameogopeshwa, hata wewe Ngina rudi uingie kwa hii muungano sababu Gen z nyinyi ndio the story of the future, fight for your rights bwana sio kukaa kaaa hapo mali yenu mmetolea jasho ichukuliwe, msikubali, pambaneni hadi mpate haki yenu kwa maana hakuna kitu inadumu," Uhuru said amid applause.

“The problem with you is that you have become afraid, even you, Ngina, join the others because Gen Z is the story of the future. Fight for your rights and stop just sitting around while your hard-earned sacrifice is taken away. Fight until justice is served because nothing lasts forever]

Uhuru said everything is worth fighting for and "If you don't fight for it, don't complain when it is taken away".

While promising the Gen Zs full support, Uhuru said the young people have the energy to push for a better society and must be encouraged.

"Hakuna haja ya kuogopa, sisi wazee ndio inafaa tuogope lakini nyinyi mko na nguvu ya kupambana na hii watu. Si kuna wale walienda detention na wakatoka wakaendelea na maisha," he said.

"We are fully behind you na muendelee namna hio," said Uhuru.

Uhuru later re-organised the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance, replacing the late Raila with Kalonzo Musyoka, a strategy that pundits believe is organising the Opposition to face his successor in next year’s polls.

Last week, he accused Ruto of remaining silent as his allies fuelled dangerous ethnic divisions, while telling the Kiambu delegates that he had warned them of electing Ruto into office.

“I warned you in 2022, but you didn’t listen. Now you are crying when they come to your areas, kindly take the money, but when the election comes, vote wisely,” he said.

This prompted the UDA to issue a hard-hitting response to him, dismissing him as a spectacular failure driven by vengeance and bitterness over Ruto’s victory

The UDA party accused Uhuru of handing over a struggling economy burdened by debt, high inflation and weakened institutions, while crediting the Ruto administration with stabilising the economy and averting a potential default.

“You were President for 10 years, and like every administration, yours had successes alongside monumental and gigantic failures that make your tenure incomparable not only to the preceding administrations, but also to the first three years of the current administration. In many respects, you handed over one of the most broken governments in Kenya's modern history,’ they said.

Nandi Senator Samson Cherarkei intensified the attacks by threatening to push for the withdrawal of Uhuru’s retirement benefits, arguing that the former president had violated laws governing retired presidents.

“The law states that if a president retires and fails to leave politics, the government, through the National Assembly, has the power to remove the retirement benefits,” Cherargei said.

But beyond the harsh exchange of words between Uhuru and Ruto’s allies, political allies view Uhuru as a formidable threat in next year’s polls.

They cite Uhuru's deep-pocketed financial muscle, his enduring influence within the Mt Kenya region and a national stature across the country, as well as international networks that he could use to articulate foul play in the credibility of the polls as the main reasons why there is growing anxiety in Ruto’s camp.

While Uhuru will not be vying for office, the 2027 contest has been greatly reduced as a contest between Uhuru and Ruto, especially after a section of Kenyans seems to have vindicated Uhuru that ‘his Deputy was not fit to hold office’ due to the high cost of living, claims of corruption and misplaced priorities.”

According to Herman Manyora, a political analyst, Ruto was keen on pushing Uhuru out of politics because of Uhuru's financial muscle and his ability to unite Opposition figures against Ruto.

“Ruto could have wanted Uhuru to back his re-election bid, but it seems he has decided to support the Opposition. He will be Ruto’s biggest nightmare and that’s why they are doing all they can, including pushing the tribal card to incite his non-Kikuyu supporters against him,” he noted.

Dismus Mokua, an analyst, said, “Uhuru still commands loyalty in key regions and has the capacity to influence alliances. That, combined with resources and networks, makes him a formidable behind-the-scenes player.”

On his part, former Nyero Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu claimed Uhuru was determined to ensure that Ruto fails to deliver his pledges so that the electorate could vindicate him in a bid to install a candidate of his choice in the 2027 general election.

“I feel part of the problem we are facing as Jubilee is the ego that has refused to allow us to adjust to what happened in 2022. Sometimes I look at it and I feel Uhuru has just never let go. It looks like he is praying for Ruto to fail so that then he's proven right, which is wrong because vindicating him will lead to a failed system,’ he noted.

He, however, admitted that Uhuru’s political pedigree might see his family producing yet another President due to his experience and persona, which he said is likeable and amiable.

“Uhuru is a very likeable and amiable person, who is a kind of person who can call anybody right now across the region, across the world and in this country and sit them there and tell them you're not behaving properly. I get a bit disappointed when I see him looking like he's getting into factional wars,’ he said.