Ruto takes swipe at opposition leaders over 10 million votes claim

NAIROBI,Kenya Nov 9 – President William Ruto has taken a swipe at opposition leaders Rigathi Gachagua, Kalonzo Musyoka and Fred Matiang’i over their political negotiations ahead of the 2027 General Election, questioning their claims of commanding millions of votes.

Ruto accused the politicians of treating Kenyans as political possessions after reports emerged of a weekend meeting in which the three leaders discussed their respective electoral strengths and the possibility of working together to challenge his re-election.

Speaking on Monday during his development tour of the Gusii region, the President dismissed the idea that politicians could claim to have millions of votes in their pockets, insisting that voters were independent citizens who would make their own decisions at the ballot.

“I hear three people called a meeting and talked about, ‘I have a bag of 10 million votes,’ and another said, ‘I have a bag of 3 million votes.’ Do you think Kenyans are so gullible that you can walk around claiming to carry their votes?” he asked.

“Please, my friends, respect Kenyans, even if only a little. Stop despising them by talking about walking around with their votes,” he added.

The President’s remarks came two days after Gachagua, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader, met Kalonzo and Jubilee Party leader Matiang’i in Nairobi in an attempt to ease tensions that had threatened to undermine opposition unity.

The Saturday, November 7 meeting was convened amid growing disagreements between Gachagua and Matiang’i over political strategy, leadership and the process of selecting a joint presidential candidate for the opposition.

Kalonzo reportedly took the initiative to bring the two leaders together, concerned that their public exchanges could fracture the opposition coalition and hand Ruto an advantage in next year’s election.

The meeting sought to reconcile the rival camps and reaffirm their commitment to working together against the Kenya Kwanza administration.

The reconciliation efforts followed a public disagreement over how opposition leaders should demonstrate their ability to mobilise voters rather than rely on political negotiations to secure the coalition’s presidential ticket.Gachagua had previously defended his emphasis on numbers, arguing that any serious presidential campaign must be built around identifiable voter support.He has repeatedly claimed that the Mount Kenya region could deliver about 10 million votes to the opposition, while assigning Kalonzo a target of three million votes. He has also previously discussed a target of between four million and five million votes for Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.The former Deputy President has maintained that leaders seeking the opposition’s presidential ticket must demonstrate their ability to mobilise voters rather than expect automatic endorsement from coalition partners.

Matiang’i had, however, warned that Gachagua’s approach to coalition politics risked undermining unity, arguing that the opposition needed to accommodate different political interests if it hoped to defeat Ruto.

Following Saturday’s meeting, Matiang’i appeared to signal a reconciliation, posting photographs of the three leaders on social media with the caption, “Brothers will always put Kenya first.”On Sunday, while addressing a church congregation in Naro Moru, Nyeri County, the former Interior Cabinet Secretary reiterated his commitment to opposition unity, saying the leaders were prepared to put aside their differences for a common political goal.

“As the opposition, we may have our differences, just like any household. But we know Kenyans want us united, and I assure you, we will build an unbeatable team, united in purpose and ready to deliver victory with military precision,” Matiang’i said.