It’s bare nnuckles as Ruto faces off with United Opposition in verbal tirades

Clouds for the 2027 General Election are quickly gathering, warning Kenyans of a heavy and destructive political downpour, judging by recent exchanges between President William Ruto and his united opposition rivals.

Patience seems to have run out as both sides bay for each other’s blood, with President Ruto asking Kenyans to let him deal with the united opposition’s “verbal diarrhoea” alone, saying he has their dose.

Speaking in Malava Constituency during the launch of a water project in Butali Chegulo Ward, President William Ruto asked residents to focus on national development and allow him to handle the ongoing political spats directed at him by his political opponents within the united opposition.

The President stated that the united opposition had declared verbal war on him and that he would handle it personally, without involving other Kenyans.

“I urge you, the good people of Malava and Kenya in general, to continue with your normal day-to-day activities of building this great nation and let me deal with these political puppets who have declared that I will be their only agenda until 2027. I assure you I will destabilise them as early as possible and send them into political oblivion,” he said.

As the exchanges intensify, with both sides throwing punches—sometimes below the belt—Kenyans, including clergy and other concerned citizens, have expressed dismay, calling out body shaming, murder and corruption allegations as harmful to national stability and the moral fabric of society.

Blow by blow, the President has taken the fight to his opponents, responding to each attack, while the opposition has continued to launch counterattacks aimed at weakening his support ahead of the 2027 general election, now only 17 months away.

The two sides, which appear to have well-orchestrated strategies against each other, seem ready to escalate the battle further unless the church and other relevant authorities step in to calm the situation.

According to the President, the united opposition has made him their main target, and he is determined to confront them head-on. With gloves now off and past issues being brought to light, Kenyans may witness more revelations in the coming days.

Social media platforms have also been abuzz with reactions, ranging from support to criticism, over the increasingly personal political exchanges between the two factions, both keen on securing power in 2027.

One of the most active platforms has been The Statesman Digital, where political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi posed a series of questions: “Did Ruto have a point when he called Rigathi Gachagua a cold-blooded thief who stole from his dead brother? Was he right when he called Fred Matiang’i fat, with a big stomach and head about to burst? And was he right when he questioned whether Eugene Wamalwa was a boy or a girl? There are no morals in politics,” he wrote.

Pauline Njoroge also weighed in, stating that being an accomplice to a crime is itself a crime. She questioned why the President would raise serious allegations against his former deputy at a political rally instead of presenting evidence to the relevant authorities, noting that the two had previously worked closely together.

Lawyer Wahome Thuku argued that President Ruto could have responded more diplomatically and in a more presidential manner to body-shaming remarks instead of engaging directly in the exchanges.

On the other hand, Pastor T Mwangi said the opposition had deliberately provoked the President into responding, drawing him into a “murky and muddy space” that gives the political contest more intensity.

These are some of the reactions emerging from the ongoing heated exchanges between the two sides. While Kenyans continue to respond differently along political lines, one thing remains clear: the situation needs to de-escalate for the safety and future of a united Kenya.