William Ruto Reveals Uhuru Kenyatta Declined Post-Transition Partnership Offers

In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Nation at State House Nairobi, President William Ruto disclosed his efforts to forge a post-transition partnership with former President Uhuru Kenyatta were unsuccessful. Ruto revealed he approached Uhuru multiple times, including visits to his Ichaweri home and State House office, urging him to assume a unifying elder statesman role for Kenya's future.

"I went to see him in Ichaweri and also at his office next door here and sought to persuade him that as a former head of state, the only one living now, please help us forge a new vision for the country, but he was reluctant," Ruto stated.

Ruto emphasized that his proposal was not a political alliance ahead of the 2027 general election but a call for Uhuru to contribute his experience toward national unity and long-term planning. However, he claims Uhuru declined and instead opted to lead the opposition.

"My predecessor had an option to become a statesman and rise above politics and become a unifying factor in our country. But he chose to climb down and become an opposition leader. He's the chairperson of Azimio up to now. He's busy organising the opposition against me," Ruto said.

Uhuru currently chairs the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Council and leads the Jubilee Party. Since the passing of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Uhuru has backed Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka as Azimio's leader and supports former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i as a presidential candidate for 2027.

Ruto further shared that Uhuru privately predicted the new administration would collapse economically within three months. "If you ask the Azimio people, they will tell you the former president, my predecessor, told them that it would only take three months and the economy would come down," Ruto claimed.

Despite rising public debt nearing KSh 13 trillion under his tenure, Ruto argued the increase is slower than during Uhuru's term, suggesting Kenya would now owe about KSh 25 trillion if the previous rate had continued.

The two leaders, once allies under the Jubilee Party in 2013 and 2017, fell out after the 2018 handshake between Uhuru and Raila Odinga, which isolated Ruto politically. Uhuru later endorsed Odinga over Ruto in the 2022 presidential race, which Ruto won.