Nairobi — President William Ruto has dismissed critics who were removed from his administration, accusing them of attempting to stoke rebellion to undermine government progress.
Speaking Wednesday during his three-day tour of Western Kenya, where he launched the construction of Luanda Market in Vihiga County, Ruto said his detractors are bound to fail in their attempts to make the government unpopular.
His remarks come months after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was impeached, and his allies were demoted in a cabinet reshuffle that paved the way for a broader government, including figures allied with Opposition Leader Raila Odinga.
"Some people were given jobs, but because of incompetence, corruption, and divisive politics, they failed. Their schemes have collapsed, and they will continue to sink because Kenyans have no room for the corrupt," Ruto said.
The President maintained that he would not be distracted from uniting the country and implementing his administration's development agenda.
"We have no time for tribalists and incompetent individuals who want to divide the country along ethnic and personal lines. Kenya will move forward as one united nation," he asserted.
Ruto reiterated that his administration is committed to transforming the country in line with the Kenya Kwanza manifesto, emphasizing that Kenya is on a positive trajectory.
"We will not allow politics of hatred and ethnicity aimed at dividing Kenyans. If they want to be relevant, they should focus on policies because Kenyans will not be swayed by empty rhetoric," he added.
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Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who accompanied Ruto on the tour, assured Kenyans that the Kenya Kwanza administration remains focused on economic transformation.
He expressed confidence that government investments in critical sectors will uplift the country, saying, "That's why you see the President launching these development projects--because they will help farmers earn more from their produce. This is the essence of the bottom-up economic agenda."
Kindiki highlighted the government's priority in fast-tracking infrastructure development to enhance efficiency in key sectors such as agriculture, which is central to the bottom-up economic model.
"We are investing in agricultural value chains, livestock, the blue economy, and fisheries. The government is improving infrastructure to support these sectors, which directly benefit the majority of Kenyans," he stated.
He added that the administration is also focusing on improving social services, particularly healthcare and education.
"We are investing in healthcare to ensure people don't fall into poverty due to medical expenses. In education, we are making sure every child has access to quality learning opportunities," Kindiki said.
The President and his deputy emphasized that despite economic challenges, the government remains committed to delivering on its development agenda.
