The ruling United Democratic Alliance has launched a blistering attack on former President Uhuru Kenyatta, accusing him of secretly working to destabilise President William Ruto’s administration from behind the scenes.
In a strongly worded 12-page open letter released on Tuesday, UDA Chairperson Cecily Mbarire and Secretary General Hassan Omar claimed the former Head of State had failed to accept defeat following the fiercely contested 2022 General Election and was now allegedly orchestrating political resistance against the Kenya Kwanza government.
The party accused Kenyatta of harbouring “bitterness” toward his former deputy-turned-successor and attempting to influence public anger against the current administration amid growing frustration over the rising cost of living, taxation, and fuel prices.
“It is a fact that William Ruto won the 2022 election against your wishes and political schemes. For once, be a democrat. William Ruto is now the President of the Republic of Kenya. That is a reality you must live with and accept,” part of the explosive letter read.
The accusations mark one of the most direct political confrontations between the ruling party and the former president since Ruto took office nearly three years ago.
UDA Blames Uhuru for ‘Broken Economy’
In the letter, the ruling party also sought to pin Kenya’s economic struggles on Kenyatta’s decade-long administration, arguing that President Ruto inherited a financially crippled country weighed down by soaring public debt, inflation, and weakened state institutions.
“You were President for 10 years, and like every administration, yours had successes alongside monumental and gigantic failures,” the letter stated.
“In many respects, you handed over one of the most broken governments in Kenya’s modern history.”
UDA leaders further defended Ruto’s administration, insisting that reforms introduced under the Kenya Kwanza government had begun stabilising sectors they described as dysfunctional under the previous regime, including agriculture, education, and healthcare.
The party argued that the current administration inherited “a collapsing economy, a suffocating public debt burden, broken institutions, demoralised sectors, and a country on the brink.”
Claims of Political Sabotage
In perhaps the most controversial section of the letter, UDA accused Kenyatta of allegedly encouraging anti-government sentiment and quietly backing public dissent against Ruto’s leadership.
“Since leaving office, you have dedicated yourself to undermining the very government you handed over,” the party wrote.
“You operate from behind the scenes, mobilising political hostility, fueling public anger, and quietly hoping the country fails.”
The claims come amid increasing political tension across the country following protests over rising fuel prices and the high cost of living, issues that have intensified criticism of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Uhuru Hits Back at Ruto Government
The latest political war erupted only days after Kenyatta publicly criticised Ruto’s government for what he termed its failure to listen to ordinary Kenyans struggling under economic pressure.
Speaking during a delegates’ meeting of the Jubilee Party on Monday, May 25, Uhuru accused the current administration of embracing divisive ethnic politics instead of addressing the country’s mounting economic challenges.
“It is not that we do not know where the problem is,” the former president said.
“We all know taxes are high and the cost of living has become unbearable, and that is why Kenyans are complaining.”
His remarks have since triggered a fierce political backlash from UDA allies, deepening the widening rift between Kenya’s former and current leaders.
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