As political temperatures continue to rise ahead of the 2027 General Election, allies of President William Ruto have stepped up criticism of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, accusing him of working behind the scenes to unite opposition forces in a bid to challenge the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Speaking during a church service at AIC Watuka in Mbooni Constituency on Sunday, Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse claimed it was unfair for the former Head of State to mobilise political forces against President Ruto despite the unwavering support the President gave him throughout his decade in office.
Mutuse argued that Ruto remained loyal to Uhuru when many leaders questioned his leadership and played a key role in securing victories for the Jubilee administration in both the 2013 and 2017 General Elections.
The legislator further maintained that Uhuru should instead acknowledge the progress made under the Kenya Kwanza administration, saying President Ruto was implementing major development programmes that had not been achieved during the previous government.
“It is unfortunate for the former President to turn against the very leader who stood with him throughout his presidency,” Mutuse said, insisting that Ruto had remained steadfast in supporting Uhuru throughout his ten years in office.
Mutuse also urged the former President to stay away from active politics, arguing that Kenyans had already elected President Ruto and should allow him to implement his agenda without what he described as unnecessary political interference.
The remarks come amid growing speculation over efforts by opposition leaders to strengthen cooperation ahead of the 2027 General Election, with attention shifting to an upcoming meeting of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Council that Uhuru is expected to chair in his capacity as the coalition’s council chairperson.
However, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has dismissed claims that Uhuru is orchestrating a political alliance aimed at removing President Ruto from power in 2027.
Speaking at the ACK Cathedral in Embu, Kalonzo insisted that opposition leaders were independently organising themselves and cautioned against portraying the former President as the mastermind behind efforts to unseat the Kenya Kwanza administration.
He explained that the meeting, which Uhuru will chair as the Azimio Council chairperson, is intended to strengthen the coalition and discuss its future, not to hatch plans against President Ruto or his government.
Fresh debate over Uhuru’s political influence also emerged after Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna confirmed that he remains in contact with the former President while dismissing allegations that Uhuru is financing the Linda Mwananchi movement.
The latest political exchanges underscore the heightened manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 General Election, with opposition leaders intensifying consultations after Kalonzo repeatedly ruled out working with President Ruto and called for unity among leaders seeking political change.
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition, which was formed ahead of the 2022 General Election to back Raila Odinga’s presidential bid, remains one of the country’s largest opposition alliances despite Raila’s loss to President Ruto.
The renewed exchanges also highlight the long-running fallout between Ruto and Uhuru, who were elected together in 2013 and re-elected in 2017 before their political partnership collapsed ahead of the 2022 General Election, when Uhuru backed Raila Odinga while Ruto went on to win the presidency.