Fresh political tensions have emerged between the ruling United Democratic Alliance and former President Uhuru Kenyatta after the party accused him of working behind the scenes to frustrate President William Ruto’s administration.
In a strongly worded 12-page open letter released on Wednesday, UDA chairperson Cecily Mbarire and Secretary General Hassan Omar accused Uhuru of failing to accept the outcome of the 2022 General Election and harbouring bitterness towards his former deputy.
The ruling party claimed the former Head of State has continued to oppose Ruto’s government even after leaving office.
“It is a fact that William Ruto won the 2022 election against your wishes and political schemes. For once, be a democrat. William Ruto is now the president of the Republic of Kenya. That is a reality you must live with and accept,” part of the letter stated.
UDA also blamed Uhuru’s administration for what it described as a struggling economy marked by huge public debt, rising inflation, and weakened institutions.
According to the party, the current administration inherited a difficult situation that has made it hard for Ruto’s government to stabilise the economy quickly.
“You were President for 10 years, and like every administration, yours had successes alongside monumental failures,” the letter read in part.
The party then defended Ruto’s three-year tenure in office, noting reforms done in the agricultural, health, and educational sectors that had been deteriorating during the previous regime.
In yet another harsh criticism, the political party noted that Uhuru had been covertly stirring up animosity against the Kenya Kwanza government by instigating Kenyans against the government.
According to Mbarire and Omar, the former president has been supporting youth who are protesting against the government, having spent most of his post-presidential time trying to bring down the current administration.
The political onslaught on Uhuru comes barely days after he criticized the Ruto government for failing to deal with the high cost of living and the increased taxes levied on citizens at a recent delegates meeting of the Jubilee Party.
At the meeting, Uhuru blamed the current government for only engaging in divisive politics instead of tackling the real problems in the country.
“It is not that we do not know where the problem is. We all know taxes are high and the cost of living has become unbearable, and that is why Kenyans are complaining,” the former president said.
The latest exchange now signals a deepening fallout between allies-turned-rivals, with political temperatures already beginning to rise as leaders position themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election.
