The former Head of Government Delivery Services, Peter Mbae, has launched a fierce public attack on President William Ruto, accusing his former boss of a systematic political onslaught against the opposition and distracting the country from the major issues of the economy and governance that need to be dealt with. Mbae’s comments, made in a rare and open interview, are one of the most outspoken criticisms of the president by a former insider.
Mbae, currently serving as the Secretary for Planning and Economic Affairs in the newly formed Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), based his criticism on what he called an increasing number of political attacks, diversionary stories, and hostility towards dissenting voices.
He stated that Ruto’s constant public denigration of opposition leaders is part of a well-planned strategy that not only disallows democratic participation but also fosters division among the people.
Mbae’s comments put the government in a position where it had to justify its claims of political criticism as disloyalty. He said that Ruto’s public outburst and political speeches are nothing but a smoke screen to hide the government’s failure to tackle underlying issues such as the economy, security, and human rights. According to him, this tactic mirrors the past political maneuvers that put power consolidation ahead of policy delivery and public welfare.
The former delivery chief not only criticized the government but also referred to the successive government announcements that have been targeting the opposition and urged the president to cut down on personal attacks and shift focus to the delivery of results that ordinary Kenyans can feel. Criticisms against the administration have become louder, and the government has been accused of using political rhetoric to shift the spotlight away from the issues of unemployment, high cost of living, and lack of access to basic services, among others.
The resignation of Mbae from the government in early 2025 was predominantly seen as a result of the internal discontent with the governance direction and leadership standards, the former insider even critiquing that the main concern of the administration had moved away from service delivery to settlement of political scores. He suggested that the political leaders should not confront their critics but instead engage with them in a constructive manner.
According to political analysts, Mbae’s remarks have come at a decisive time as Kenya nears the 2027 general election cycle, which is anticipated to be a time of heightened political rivalry. His disapproval of the president’s tactics might connect with parts of the voting population that are already tired of the constant political warfare and are looking for leadership that fights over issues rather than just for power.
The discourse surrounding political ethics and the extent of democracy will be more pronounced not only in the government but also in the opposition that will be taking place over the next few months.
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