President William Ruto has broken his silence on growing calls from opposition figures demanding his resignation, saying his time in office will come to an end — but only at the ballot box, not through chants in the street.
“Just like those who were there before me, I will go,” he said on Wednesday. “But respectfully, sirs and madams, let me ask you — what are your reasons for this call?”
Ruto was speaking during a bell-ringing ceremony to mark the listing of Linzi, a new asset-backed security, at the Nairobi Securities Exchange. But his remarks veered sharply into the political, directly confronting the wave of public dissatisfaction that has recently swept the country, particularly among the youth.
The President dismissed the “Ruto must go” slogan, which has become a rallying cry for demonstrators, as lacking substance.
“I am sure it’s not about the spelling of my name,” he said. “Maybe it’s because we don’t agree on ideas, policies, or the plan I have for our nation — which is okay.”
But, he added, disagreement without an alternative amounts to noise, not leadership.
“If your plan does better than mine on jobs, on the economy, on healthcare, on education — you should be bold enough to tell us,” he said. “What I hear is one chant: Ruto must go. That is not enough.”
Ruto's comments come after weeks of mounting frustration with his administration's economic reforms, particularly the controversial housing levy and overhauled university funding model. Protests — often led by Gen Z Kenyans — have erupted online and in the streets, accusing the government of worsening the cost of living and ignoring public outcry.
But the President defended the reforms as necessary, even if unpopular.
“They want us to go back to NHIF? The old NHIF never worked,” he argued. “They want to return to the old university funding model? That crippled higher education. They want to abolish the housing programme? That sounds like people who prefer the status quo — the familiar, no change.”
He likened opposition leaders to “wash wash” scammers — a Kenyan term for con artists — saying they have mastered the art of stirring emotions while offering no credible alternatives.
Still, critics argue that Ruto’s tone risks further alienating Kenyans already disillusioned with his leadership style. Opposition leaders say the President has failed to address inflation and youth unemployment with urgency, instead pushing policies they describe as punitive and out of touch.
As of now, the opposition has not put forward a united front or a detailed counter-policy package — a gap Ruto seems keen to exploit.
“Let’s have an honest conversation about Kenya’s future,” the President said. “Not just slogans. We need ideas.”
Whether Kenyans are ready to hear more ideas — or have already made up their minds — remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the political temperature in the country is rising, and neither side appears ready to step back.