03/06/2026
UNITED ALTERNATIVE GOVERNMENT
3rd June, 2026
OPEN LETTER TO H.E. DR. WILLIAM SAMOEI RUTO, C.G.H.
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE KENYA DEFENCE FORCES, AND PARTY LEADER OF THE UNITED DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE (UDA)
Your Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto, C.G.H.,
President of the Republic of Kenya, Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, and Party Leader of the United Democratic Alliance,
In exercising our constitutional duty as leaders and citizens under Articles 1, 3, 10, 73, 129, 131 and 258 of the Constitution of Kenya, and in response to the recent open letter issued by senior officials of the United Democratic Alliance against H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta, we write this letter in defence of constitutional accountability, democratic governance, national unity and the sovereignty of the people of Kenya.
We write to you directly because the letter issued by the Chairperson and Secretary-General of the United Democratic Alliance was not merely a party communication. It was a political statement issued by officials acting under your authority, within a party that you lead, and in defence of an administration over which you preside.
In constitutional democracies, responsibility cannot be delegated downward when power is exercised from the top.
The Presidency carries both authority and accountability. The officials who signed that letter were writing on behalf of the ruling party and, by extension, in defence of your government. The buck therefore stops with you.
Indeed, one of the defining obligations of the Presidency is accountability. A President may delegate functions, but he cannot delegate responsibility. Those who speak in defence of your administration may carry your message, but they cannot carry your constitutional duty. That duty remains yours alone. That is why this response is addressed not to party officials, but to the President of the Republic of Kenya.
The letter issued by UDA was reckless, insulting, diversionary and deeply disappointing. It was not an act of courage. It was an act of panic. It was not a defence of government performance. It was an admission that your administration has run out of explanations for the growing frustrations of the Kenyan people.
More troubling, however, was its attempt to drag the country back into the politics that Kenyans deliberately rejected when they enacted the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. The Constitution was designed to unite Kenyans, not divide them. It was intended to move our nation away from the dangerous habit of constructing political enemies, mobilising grievances and pitting citizens against one another for partisan advantage.
Kenyans have painful historical reasons to be wary whenever political leaders revive narratives that divide citizens into opposing camps. The country has not forgotten the toxic "41 against 1" political rhetoric that became associated with the highly polarised atmosphere surrounding the 2007 General Election. That period culminated in one of the darkest chapters in our national history, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,300 Kenyans, the displacement of hundreds of thousands of citizens, the destruction of property, and deep national trauma whose effects continue to be felt by many families and internally displaced persons to this day.
Your Excellency, your name has frequently featured in public discussions, political analyses and international legal proceedings relating to that period. Whether viewed through the lens of history, politics or national reconciliation, the lesson is unmistakable: responsible leaders must exercise the utmost caution when deploying rhetoric that risks reviving old divisions or encouraging citizens to see one another as political enemies rather than fellow Kenyans. The Constitution of Kenya, 2010, was adopted precisely to ensure that our nation never again travels down that dangerous path.
The repeated effort by senior figures within the ruling party to frame Kenya's challenges through the lens of political enemies, former leaders and manufactured conspiracies risks deepening regional, political, generational and social divisions at a time when the country desperately needs unity, healing and national purpose.
As President, your oath of office obligates you to be a symbol of national unity, not a participant in division. It requires you to bring Kenyans together, not encourage an "us versus them" political culture that undermines national cohesion and weakens confidence in public institutions.
A President is elected to lead the entire nation, not one section against another. The Constitution does not recognise government supporters and government opponents as separate classes of citizens. It recognises only Kenyans, equal in dignity and entitled to equal protection under the law.
Mr President, Article 131 of the Constitution declares that the President is the Head of State and Government, a symbol of national unity, and a person required to promote and respect the diversity of the people and communities of Kenya. Article 10 binds all State organs and public officers to national values and principles of governance, including patriotism, human dignity, equity, social justice, inclusiveness, integrity, transparency and accountability.
Article 73 further reminds every State officer that authority assigned to a State office is a public trust to be exercised in a manner that brings honour to the nation, promotes public confidence in the integrity of the office, and serves the people rather than the officer.
Your oath of office was not an oath to propaganda. It was not an oath to blame retired leaders. It was not an oath to insult citizens, former presidents or critics. It was not an oath to reopen political fault lines that Kenya has struggled for decades to overcome. It was an oath to protect, defend and uphold the Constitution and to serve all the people of Kenya.
That is why we ask you directly: is the insulting letter issued by UDA the official position of your party and your government?
If it is, then Kenyans must know that your administration has abandoned the statesmanship expected of the Presidency and embraced a style of politics that diminishes the dignity of the highest office in the land. If it is not, then you have a constitutional and moral duty to disown it.
Mr President, another troubling feature of this administration has been the growing tendency to delegate serious matters of national importance to junior political officials and party functionaries. Questions touching on the economy, public debt, healthcare, constitutional freedoms, national cohesion and the future of the Republic deserve answers from the nation's highest office, not from political surrogates.
Leadership requires ownership. Accountability cannot be outsourced. The people of Kenya elected a President, not a chain of spokespersons. The more critical the issue, the greater the obligation of direct presidential accountability.
Dr. William Ruto, You were not a stranger in the Jubilee administration.
You were not an opposition leader.
Neither were you a commentator watching government from the roadside.
You Were the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya for ten years.
You sat in Cabinet.
You defended government policy, you launched projects, you campaigned on Jubilee achievements, and to remind you, your supporters even called you a "co-president."
Therefore, when UDA attacks the previous administration, it is attacking a government in which you, William Ruto, was the second-highest-ranking official. If there was debt, William Ruto you were part of the debts. If there were stalled projects, William Ruto, you were there. If there was corruption, William Ruto was there. If there were successes, William Ruto, you were there. If there were failures, William Ruto, you were, there.
You cannot sit at the dining table for ten years, enjoy the meal, then later claim you were merely passing by the kitchen.
Equally troubling is the increasing participation of Cabinet Secretaries in overt partisan political mobilisation and campaign activities. Cabinet Secretaries are State Officers entrusted with the administration of government ministries on behalf of the people of Kenya. Their constitutional duty is to implement public policy professionally, impartially and in accordance with the law.
The growing spectacle of Cabinet Secretaries functioning as political campaigners risks blurring the distinction between the State and the ruling party. Public office must never be converted into an instrument of partisan political mobilisation.
Constitutional governance requires State Officers to serve the Republic rather than political parties and to place the public interest above partisan interests. When Cabinet Secretaries spend increasing amounts of time engaging in political rallies, partisan messaging and electoral mobilisation, legitimate questions arise regarding the constitutional boundaries between governance and campaigning. Kenya deserves a government focused on solving national problems, not one permanently trapped in campaign mode.
William Ruto, Kindly be reminded that President Uhuru Kenyatta handed over power peacefully in September 2022. He attended your inauguration, congratulated you and retired. That is constitutional democracy. That is statesmanship.
The question Kenyans are now asking is simple: if President Uhuru Kenyatta retired in 2022, why is UDA still campaigning against him in 2026?
The answer appears obvious. Your administration is attempting to manufacture political enemies because it can no longer convincingly defend its record.
Kenyans were promised lower taxes, cheaper unga, affordable fuel, jobs for the youth, affordable healthcare, dignity for hustlers and a government that would understand ordinary suffering.
Instead, many Kenyans are experiencing higher taxation, rising fuel costs, expensive electricity, uncertainty in healthcare, struggling businesses, unemployment, police excesses, abductions, growing public frustration and endless political messaging. Even more troubling is the growing public perception that criminal violence and political intimidation have increasingly become intertwined with law enforcement operations. Across several public demonstrations and political gatherings, citizens have reported circumstances in which it has become difficult to distinguish between lawful police operations and organised groups of political goons operating with apparent protection, coordination or impunity.
Such perceptions strike at the very heart of constitutional democracy. A professional police service derives its legitimacy from impartiality, discipline and fidelity to the law. When citizens lose confidence in the distinction between lawful policing and political intimidation, the rule of law itself is weakened. Kenya is a State Party to the Rome Statute and, by virtue of Articles 2(5) and 2(6) of the Constitution, the principles of international law form part of the law of Kenya. International law recognises the grave dangers posed when organised violence against civilians is tolerated, encouraged or carried out through irregular actors operating alongside State institutions.
Your administration bears a constitutional duty to ensure that the National Police Service remains professional, independent, accountable and entirely separate from any form of organised political violence.
A mother in the market does not feed her children with propaganda.
A boda boda rider does not fuel his motorcycle with blame games.
A graduate without work does not pay rent with slogans.
A patient denied treatment does not survive on press statements.
UDA claims that you stabilised the economy. Stabilised for whom? Certainly not for the ordinary Kenyan struggling under debt, taxation, joblessness and economic uncertainty.
Kenyans do not eat statistics. They eat food. They judge leadership by the price of unga, fuel, rent, school fees, medicine and electricity.
On agriculture, UDA boasts about fertiliser while many farmers continue to struggle with costly inputs, weak markets, inadequate extension services and declining purchasing power.
On coffee, your party conveniently overlooks reforms initiated before your administration, including the Cherry Revolving Fund, reforms at New KPCU and measures aimed at strengthening direct sales mechanisms.
On healthcare, your government dismantled NHIF and replaced it with the Social Health Authority system. Whether intended as reform or not, the implementation has generated confusion and uncertainty among patients, hospitals and families trying to understand coverage, payment obligations and accountability. Article 43 of the Constitution guarantees every Kenyan the right to the highest attainable standard of health. That right cannot be secured through confusion and public relations campaigns.
On education, parents, teachers and students continue to face uncertainty. CBC and CBET remain difficult for many families to navigate. Universities remain under pressure. Students continue to struggle with funding. Teachers remain overstretched. School fees continue to burden households.
On affordable housing, Kenyans are not opposed to decent homes. What they reject is compulsory deductions, exaggerated claims and insufficient transparency. If the programme is succeeding, publish the full record: how much has been collected, how much has been spent, how many units have been completed, how many are occupied, who owns them and how many verifiable jobs have been created.
Article 201 of the Constitution requires openness, accountability and prudent use of public money. Public funds are not campaign material. They are taxpayers' money.
Mr President, constitutional government is measured not merely by the policies it announces but by its fidelity to the rule of law. Increasingly, Kenyans are witnessing a troubling pattern in which court orders are treated as inconveniences rather than binding commands of the law.
The recent controversy surrounding the proposed Ebola quarantine facility in Laikipia illustrates this concern. When the High Court issued orders halting implementation of the proposal pending determination of the legal challenge before it, the issue ceased being a political debate and became a constitutional obligation. Court orders are not suggestions. They are binding directives issued in the name of the people of Kenya.
A government committed to constitutionalism demonstrates respect for judicial authority even when it disagrees with judicial decisions. Selective compliance with court orders undermines the rule of law, weakens public confidence in institutions and encourages a culture of impunity that no democracy can afford.
The Constitution establishes no office, including the Presidency, above the law. Respect for judicial decisions is not a sign of weakness. It is one of the clearest demonstrations of constitutional leadership.
On public debt, your administration cannot continue blaming borrowing while continuing to borrow. It cannot continue increasing taxes while claiming to protect hustlers. Leadership requires responsibility, not selective memory.
On youth protests and public criticism, claims that young Kenyans are merely being incited underestimate an entire generation. Young people do not need politicians to tell them whether they are unemployed. They do not need opposition leaders to tell them whether food prices are high. They experience these realities every day.
Article 33 protects freedom of expression. Article 37 protects the right to assemble, demonstrate, picket and present petitions. Article 38 guarantees every citizen the right to make political choices, participate in political activities and engage freely in the democratic process. Article 238 requires national security to be pursued in compliance with the law and with utmost respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. These constitutional guarantees cannot coexist with intimidation, unlawful force, abductions, suppression of dissent or the criminalisation of legitimate political participation.
A government confident in its record responds to criticism with answers. A government that responds primarily with insults, threats, arrests or intimidation signals insecurity, not strength.
Mr President, Kenya needs a unifying leader at this moment in its history. It does not need new political enemies. It does not need fresh divisions. It does not need a return to the habits that have previously endangered national cohesion.
The Presidency must remain above factional warfare. It must speak for all Kenyans, including critics, opponents, dissenters and those who did not vote for the government. That is the essence of constitutional leadership.
A President is not elected to lead one side of the nation against another. A President is elected to lead the nation itself.
The Constitution does not permit government by propaganda. It demands accountability. Chapter Six does not permit arrogance in public office. It demands integrity. Article 129 reminds all who hold executive authority that such authority is derived from the people of Kenya and must be exercised for their benefit.
Power belongs to the people. You are merely its temporary trustee.
The Constitution demands government by law, not government by political convenience. It demands obedience to court orders, respect for constitutional freedoms, accountability in public office and fidelity to democratic principles.
No administration can credibly claim commitment to constitutional governance while simultaneously tolerating impunity, undermining judicial authority, permitting abductions, allowing public institutions to be drawn into partisan political warfare, or creating circumstances in which citizens struggle to distinguish between lawful policing and organised political intimidation. Kenya's democratic future depends upon strong institutions, respect for the Constitution and unwavering commitment to the rule of law. These principles are not optional. They are constitutional obligations binding upon every holder of public office, including the President.
Therefore, we tell you plainly: stop hiding behind UDA officials. Stop outsourcing insults. Stop blaming retired leaders. Stop campaigning against the past. Start governing the present.
Kenyans did not elect you to write angry letters to Uhuru Kenyatta. They elected you to lower the cost of living, create jobs, support farmers, improve healthcare, strengthen education, protect constitutional freedoms and restore hope.
If your administration has performed, let the lives of Kenyans testify. If the economy has recovered, let households feel it. If jobs have been created, let young people find them. If healthcare has improved, let patients experience it. If agriculture has been revived, let farmers confirm it. If housing has succeeded, let completed and occupied homes speak.
But do not ask suffering citizens to ignore their pain because UDA has written another political letter.
Let us stop the pretence.
Let us stop pretending William Ruto was not Deputy President for ten years.
Let us stop pretending today's challenges were created entirely by retired leaders.
Let us stop pretending propaganda can reduce the price of unga.
Let us stop pretending slogans can lower electricity bills.
Let us stop pretending blame games are leadership.
The people of Kenya are awake. They can see. They can remember. They can compare.
Today, William Ruto is President.
UDA is the ruling party.
Kenya Kwanza is the government.
The responsibility is yours.
No excuses.
No scapegoats.
No endless campaigns.
Govern.