You are jealous of Ruto, UDA fires back at Uhuru Kenyatta

Kenya's ruling United Democratic Alliance has gone on the offensive against former President Uhuru Kenyatta, responding forcefully to recent public remarks widely interpreted as criticism of the administration led by his former deputy and political successor, William Ruto.

UDA officials accused Kenyatta of acting out of personal bitterness following his exit from power in 2022, suggesting the former head of state had struggled to accept the political trajectory the country had taken under new leadership. Party representatives characterised the criticism as an attempt to maintain relevance rather than a genuine engagement with national policy.

The public falling-out between Kenyatta and Ruto represents one of the most dramatic ruptures in recent Kenyan political history. The two men ran together on the Jubilee Party ticket in both 2013 and 2017, winning both contests decisively, before a deepening rift emerged during Kenyatta's second term. Kenyatta ultimately threw his support behind Raila Odinga in the 2022 presidential race, while Ruto campaigned independently and won.

Since leaving State House, Kenyatta has made periodic public statements touching on governance and national direction, remarks the ruling party has consistently interpreted as politically motivated interference from outside government.

Political analysts note that Kenya's landscape remains fluid, with former allies and opponents constantly repositioning ahead of the 2027 General Election cycle. Kenyatta's Jubilee Party, once dominant in both houses of parliament, has seen its influence diminish considerably since the 2022 transition.

UDA dismissed the former president's remarks as inconsequential and urged Kenyans to focus instead on the government's development agenda, including infrastructure investment and economic programmes under President Ruto's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

No response had been issued from Kenyatta's office at the time this report was filed.