President William Ruto has taken a jab at his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, criticizing his recent remarks on the Kenya Kwanza administration’s performance.
Speaking at a joint National Executive Retreat and Parliamentary Group consultative meeting in Naivasha, Nakuru County, on Monday, February 19, Ruto expressed his disdain for Kenyatta’s sentiments, suggesting that the former President regrets not believing in the feasibility of the Housing Programme during his tenure.
“I heard one of our friends saying the other day that when he sees things he feels like crying. It is true because they are now wondering if it was true that housing was possible and they wasted time on reggae. That is what it is. Many people thought it was not possible and now see it is possible,” remarked Ruto.
Uhuru, during the burial of former Kipipiri MP Amos Kimunya’s wife Lucy Wanjiru, had expressed his disappointment with the current administration’s governance, stating, “Nowadays I don’t talk much. I just observe things. Sometimes I hold my head in astonishment. You wonder if should you cry or laugh, but you decide to love your country because it is home.”
In response to Kenyatta’s critique, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua dismissed the former President’s assertions, advocating for a balanced perspective on leadership that acknowledges both past and present.
Gachagua argued that effective leadership entails learning from the past to navigate the present and future successfully. He emphasized the importance of keeping an eye on the rearview mirror, citing the analogy of the motor vehicle inventor who incorporated it for essential reflection.
“In your leadership your Excellency you have made it clear that no Kenyan should be left behind. So, you have to continuously continue looking at the rear mirror to ensure all Kenyans are on board and are not left behind,” Gachagua asserted.
Both Gachagua and Ruto have consistently highlighted the substantial public debt inherited from Uhuru’s administration, which they claim has impeded the Kenya Kwanza government’s efforts to revitalize the economy. They contend that 70 percent of Kenya’s revenue is allocated to servicing this debt, hindering progress and development initiatives.
