Kenya: Kalonzo Accuses Ruto of 'Dictatorship' Tendencies in Making Policy Changes

22 October 2022

Nairobi — Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Principal Kalonzo Musyoka has faulted President William Ruto for making unilateral decisions on significant policy changes in the country.

Kalonzo decried that the President "is slowly working to increase his personal control of the regime" and become a dictator.

"He is moving away from the more collective and collegial leadership style characteristic of his predecessors," Kalonzo said.

He for instance questioned how the President arrived at lifting the ban on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in the absence of his Cabinet.

"We are staring at the emergency of a personalized dictatorship," he said.

Kalonzo further wondered how the President arrived at the decision to have Kenya manufacture fertilizer in partnership with East Africa Community (EAC) countries.

Similarly, the Wiper Leader questioned what informed the government's plans to build 100 dams through a public-private partnership.

He in addition probed the President's decision to sanction the ongoing purge at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) that led to the disbandment of the Special Service Unit (SSU).

"This personalized approach to policymaking is a recipe for volatile and erratic policies," he said.

Kalonzo warned that Ruto's "one-man show" actions stood to weaken institutions of governance and erode gains made in the country in matters of consultative governance.

"Ruto appears to be shifting fundamental decision-making from the government to himself and perhaps partially to his party," he said.

He added: "We fear that these events are early insights into the intention of the Kenya Kwanza administration," he said".

Kalonzo has in recent days emerged as the face and voice of the opposition after Azimio failed to clinch the Presidency on August 9.

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