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The presidential candidate launched a thinly-veiled swipe at President Uhuru Kenyatta’s endorsement of long-term rival Raila Odinga, who will face Ruto on 9 August. Kenyan presidential candidate and Deputy President William Ruto has labelled the political system a ‘mongrel’ after President Uhuru Kenyatta endorsed long-term rival Raila Odinga for president. Speaking at Chatham House in London, Ruto, who has served as Kenyatta’s deputy president since 2013, argued that there must be “clear demarcation” between opposition and government and said that the government is “blurring the lines” following Kenyatta’s Odinga endorsement. “The result you see today in Kenya is there is no government and no opposition, you have a mongrel of a governance system… The leader of the opposition [Odinga] is a project of the system and the deep state of government… the leader of what is supposed to be the ruling party [Kenyatta] is actually a supporter or refugee in the opposition party,” he said. R...

By John Muthoga Wambugu   The recent elections in Kenya had a profound impact on the country's economy, resulting in contraction and significant challenges for the new administration led by President Ruto. This article explores how the elections contributed to the economic downturn, the failures of the current administration to address the contraction, and the potential for the Kenyan economy to rebound. Election-induced Economic Contraction: The uncertainty and political instability surrounding last year's elections created a negative business environment. Investors hesitated, and consumer confidence dropped, leading to a contraction in various sectors of the economy. Local dairies, for instance, faced reduced demand and lower production due to decreased consumer spending. Failures of the Ruto Administration: Despite high expectations, the Ruto administration has struggled to implement effective economic policies to counter the co...

Prepared by John Wambugu The alleged kidnapping and assault of Dennis Itumbi in December 2021 became one of the most controversial political and human rights incidents in Kenya’s recent history. The incident sparked national debate about political intimidation, freedom of expression, digital activism, and the safety of outspoken government critics in the country. Although the exact motive behind the attack was never officially established, the circumstances surrounding the incident raised serious concerns among human rights organizations, political leaders, and members of the public. At the time of the incident, Dennis Itumbi was widely known as a digital strategist and a close political ally of then-Deputy President William Ruto. He was also one of Kenya’s most influential online political communicators, using social media and digital platforms to comment on governance, political rivalries, corruption allegations, and state operations. His strong online presence and outspoken politica...

By John Muthoga Wambugu   In the dynamic world of politics, alliances and loyalties can shift swiftly, leaving leaders vulnerable to the whims of changing regimes. Such is the case for Kenya's former president, Uhuru Kenyatta, who finds himself facing mounting frustration and hostility from the current government. This post will delve into the unsettling events surrounding Uhuru Kenyatta's active involvement with opposition politics in Kenya, particularly his association with Raila Odinga. By examining reports from Kenyan newspapers, we will shed light on how the current regime has allegedly employed goons to attack the former president's farms, steal property, and damage the private assets of his family. A Shattered Legacy: The Jubilee Party, once a formidable force in Kenyan politics under the leadership of former president Uhuru Kenyatta, has suffered a precipitous decline in recent years. The party's electoral performance in the 2022 elections was dismal, winning...

By John Muthoga Wambugu The escalating cases of police brutality and state-sponsored violence in Kenya have ignited widespread concern among citizens, human rights organizations, civil society groups, and the international community. In recent years, disturbing reports of excessive use of force, unlawful arrests, enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings have continued to cast a dark shadow over the country’s democratic progress. For many Kenyans, particularly the youth, these incidents have become a painful reminder of the fragile relationship between the state and the people it is constitutionally mandated to protect. Kenya’s Constitution guarantees every citizen the fundamental rights to life, dignity, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and protection from torture or cruel treatment. However, despite these constitutional safeguards, numerous incidents involving security agencies have raised serious questions regarding accountability, abuse of power, and the...

By John Muthoga Wambugu Across many developing nations, the unequal distribution of resources has become one of the greatest barriers to social progress and economic justice. While a small section of society enjoys access to wealth, education, healthcare, employment opportunities, and political influence, millions of people living in marginalized communities continue to suffer in poverty and neglect. This imbalance has widened the gap between the rich and the poor, creating frustration, hopelessness, and social instability among vulnerable populations. Marginalized communities often include people living in informal settlements, rural villages, minority ethnic groups, unemployed youth, women, persons with disabilities, and other disadvantaged groups who are excluded from national development. These communities frequently lack access to clean water, proper healthcare facilities, quality education, reliable infrastructure, and economic opportunities. Despite governments collecting taxe...

  By John Muthoga Wambugu In public policy, there is a concept called broken-window theory. In a street for instance, if there are street lights broken by hooligans and not repaired within a certain duration, it sends signals to the other rational citizens that rule enforcement is weak. This is the true picture of our Kenyan society today. We have laws, but they are simply ignored. Every day of the week, we watch as PSVs and even respected school buses overlap other cars, some mount pavements to get a few meters ahead in the traffic, and some speed recklessly when the road opens up. All these happen, sometimes in the full view of our traffic police officers. But that’s not my issue; my concern is on we, the people being transported.  We are knowledgeable Kenyans; we know what is right and what an offence is. But we are quiet when traffic rules are being flouted. We believe we have to break rules to get to our destinations much faster. That there is no reward in being patient w...