Kenta accuses Ruto administration of using Uhuru as scapegoat

Jubilee Secretary General Moitalel Ole Kenta claims the Kenya Kwanza administration is utilizing ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta as a political pawn rather than confronting its own shortcomings during its four-year tenure. Ole Kenta emphasized that the government, now in its second term, should concentrate on addressing Kenyan citizens' concerns rather than endlessly referencing a former Head of State who stepped down in 2022.

He stated, "Let Uhuru Kenyatta be!" asserting that the retired president is constitutionally entitled to his privacy and opinions, just like any other Kenyan. Ole Kenta questioned the government's persistent criticism of Uhuru, questioning why the man who left office in 2022 continued to be a major focus of their scrutiny. He argued that a government that has served its full term cannot continue to campaign against an individual who left office four years prior.

"A leadership means answering for your own record, not recycling grievances against your predecessor as a substitute for one," Ole Kenta said. He argued that the ongoing focus on Uhuru highlighted his continued political significance, suggesting that the government would fare better by highlighting its own accomplishments and challenges.

"If retired President Kenyatta's presence is such a threat, it is only because his record still stands as a mirror this administration would rather not look into," Ole Kenta contended. He maintained that Uhuru, a private citizen, has the same right as any other Kenyan to voice his opinions on matters of national importance. Ole Kenta stated that the government is free to oppose the former president but should not continuously blame him for the country's problems.

"Kenyans did not vote for a government whose main opposition strategy is a man who is no longer even on the ballot. They voted for solutions," he said. The comments come as political exchanges between President William Ruto's allies and Uhuru's supporters intensify in the lead-up to the 2027 General Election. President Ruto indirectly criticized Uhuru on Thursday, accusing him of backing the united opposition.

Ole Kenta urged the administration to be evaluated based on its achievements since taking office. "If this administration's loudest four-year legacy is another smear campaign against Uhuru Kenyatta, perhaps it is not him who owes the country an explanation," Ole Kenta concluded.