Speaker Wetang’ula rallies Rift Valley to back Ruto’s second term

Speaking during a fundraiser St Peter’s Catholic Church Kapsabet, Wetang’ula said the region needed no persuasion to back President Ruto since he had already demonstrated leadership and tangible results.

“As residents of Rift Valley, we are preaching to the converted. You do not need to be mobilised or coerced to support your son for a second term because you know the direction the country is taking,” Wetangula said.

Speaker Wetang’ula also dismissed the president's critics, describing them as “self-seeking characters without an agenda.”

He likened their opposition to the late veteran politician Kenneth Matiba’s constant calls for President Daniel Arap Moi’s resignation in Parliament, which bore little fruit.

“We have told the President to ignore such noises the way a cow ignores the croaking of frogs and continues to drink water. He should focus on delivering for Kenyans, because come elections, the people will judge him fairly,” he said.

The Speaker argued that Kenyans could attest to the progress made by Ruto’s administration, particularly in education, healthcare, roads, and efforts to stabilise the economy.

“When we speak to ordinary citizens, they encourage us and the President to continue improving their livelihoods. That is what matters to the people,” he added.

His sentiments were echoed by Nandi Governor Stephen Sang', who defended Ruto’s track record and called for fair comparisons with past administrations.

Governor Sang' argued that the president has surpassed expectations in his first two years, and his accomplishments will be significantly recognized if he is given a ten-year term.

He emphasized that Ruto's potential track record should be the basis for determining his eligibility for a second term, rather than personal biases or assumptions about his performance relative to other presidents.

“People are unfairly asking why the President has not achieved in two years what Mr Uhuru Kenyatta or Mr Mwai Kibaki achieved in their ninth and tenth years in office. If you compare Dr Ruto’s two years with their first two years, you will find that he has exceeded expectations,” Governor Sang' said.

“So let us be fair, and every president in Kenya has had his two terms. We are asking because of the track record that he will be able to post and will merit the second term on account of the track record that he will have delivered on Kenyans and in transforming the economy of Kenya.”

President Ruto has been forced to stage an early political grapple as the opposition fights to oust him from office in the 2027 General Election.