President William Ruto has urged Kenyans to scrutinise political formations ahead of the 2027 General Election, warning against what he described as “trial and error” leadership.
Speaking in Ugenya, Siaya County, on Tuesday, September 15, during his development tour of Nyanza, Ruto said Kenya needed a political formation with a clear plan, agenda and track record.
“Let us not gamble with our nation. Let us not subject our nation to trial and error experiments by people who have no vision, by people who have no plan, by people who have no agenda for our nation,” Ruto said.
The President presented the broad-based coalition as a political arrangement with a programme and record that voters could examine ahead of the 2027 polls.
He also criticised rival political formations, describing some as personality-driven groups and makeshift alliances.
Ruto said the 2027 election would provide an opportunity to address what he described as ethnic politics, exclusion and marginalisation.
His remarks came as several leaders associated with ODM publicly backed the broad-based arrangement.
ODM national chairperson Gladys Wanga said the party had decided to work with Ruto, linking the partnership to development across different regions of the country. She also said ODM would not support political arrangements involving former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Junet Mohamed similarly defended the broad-based arrangement, while Ugenya MP David Ochieng said residents in Nyanza should consider the development projects being implemented in the region.
Ochieng said he would continue supporting Ruto’s administration, citing infrastructure projects being undertaken in Ugenya and other parts of Nyanza.
The President’s political message was delivered alongside the launch of the Sihay-Bar Ober-Sega road in Ugenya. The 65.2-kilometre project is valued at approximately KSh2.7 billion and is among several infrastructure projects Ruto inspected during his Siaya tour.
The Siaya visit formed part of Ruto’s wider development tour of Nyanza, which has combined inspections and launches of government projects with engagements with residents and local leaders.
The tour comes as political parties and alliances position themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election, with the broad-based government arrangement between Kenya Kwanza and sections of ODM reshaping political alignments in the region.
