Tension within Kenya’s political scenario has sharply escalated with President William Ruto openly condemning the former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua exhorting youth to be the protectors at his political rallies, accusing him of instigating violence and in the risk of national collapse just as the nation is nearing the 2027 general elections.
The President’s remarks came as the two leaders were already involved in bitter rivalry and had previously been partners during the election campaigns but now are crossing swords more and more.
Ruto, while addressing the public and government officials in Nyeri County, condemned Gachagua’s call for youths to be a part of the political happenings and evoked that such statements are made to fan the flames of violence and public order is undermined during the crucial elections period.
Ruto’s condemnation is indicative of the increasing irritation in the power sectors of Kenya regarding Gachagua’s communication, who lately has been changing from the President’s deputy to a loud critic and a rival.
The way Ruto categorized Gachagua’s political tactics was as a dangerously divisive one and politically Ruto gave a clear message that youth should not be informal security at the rallies or gatherings in order to participate in legitimate politics.
The President issued a warning that the government will take no such measures that can lead to the situation getting out of hand thus he repeated that the law will be applied during the entire political process by the security forces.
Ruto’s comments also pointed to the fact that it is a criticism of opposition that their speeches have been getting more and more like that of the campaign, which is very risky for the youth to be vocal in conflict, especially in places where the elections are tightly contested.
The political analysts remarked that this public rebuke is an extraordinary event revealing a complete breakdown of relations between Ruto and his former partner, marking their different approaches to the engagement with the young voters of Kenya, who are very important in the elections.
Young voters have always been there in the forefront of every political upheaval, especially in the case of activists of a certain age group opposing the government.
Gachagua, who is currently at the helm of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), has taken the position of being the one to fight for the rights of the youth and for their political inclusion and at the same time he is criticizing government for its handling of peaceful demonstrations and its security measures.
On the contrary, some people within the ruling coalition are quite skeptical and they argue that his calls for youth presence and protection at rallies are not so clear and may lead to a situation where the public is confused between legitimate participation and government-organized mobilization that could escalate tensions.
The President’s warning points to an exciting new chapter in the rivalry between the different factions in Kenyan politics, and the differences in the views of the main players are likely to be the factor that changes the direction of the power struggle in the run-up to the next general elections.
We can expect further announcements from both sides as the political battle gets hotter in the next few days.
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