Editor's Review
The president seemed to change his tone over Kalonzo, whom he had previously chastised as an agendaless leader who has been in leadership for decades.
President William Ruto seemed to strike a notably softer tone towards Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka on Saturday, October 24, calling him "my friend" as he commissioned a major water project in Mbiuni, Machakos County, in the Ukambani region.
Addressing residents, Ruto presided over the commissioning of the Mwala Cluster Water Supply Project.
His remarks on Kalonzo, widely regarded as the go-to leader of the region, came after months of sharp exchanges between the two over development and the 2027 general election.
Ruto referred to remarks Kalonzo made recently, in which the Wiper leader said God was using the president to build roads and carry out development work. Ruto said he agreed with it.
“I thank my friend Kalonzo for acknowledging that God is using me. But you should know that there are two people in Kenya whom God is using: Kalonzo and myself,” said Ruto.
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The president did not stop at praise. He said Kalonzo’s role is to spread the word about the government’s projects, and he rejected any suggestion that this was strange.
Ruto said he saw nothing wrong with the arrangement, describing it as how leaders help one another. He asked the crowd whether they wanted the work to continue, repeating the question to the residents.
"God uses me to build roads, to bring water, and to organise medical services; meanwhile, God uses Kalonzo to help me spread the word, to announce that a road has been built or that water has arrived. I don’t see anything wrong with that," he said.
The shift in tone stands out because of how Ruto has spoken about Kalonzo in the past. He has repeatedly criticised the Wiper leader for being in leadership for more than four decades as an MP, Cabinet minister, and vice president, without what he called a tangible record for the people.
He has also chided Kalonzo for failing to develop his native area, including failing to build the road leading to his home despite holding those offices.
Ruto launched the construction of the main road passing Kalonzo’s home in Tseikuru. He has previously also questioned Kalonzo’s capacity to lead the country, saying he lacks the agenda and know-how.
Kalonzo, who has declared his intention to run for president in 2027, had earlier claimed that Ruto was rushing to complete projects across the country to win over voters before the elections.
He teased that the Tseikuru Road was part of God’s plan for the next Commander in Chief.
On Saturday, Ruto went further than simply acknowledging his rival. He praised Kalonzo for being honest about the work the government has done and suggested he was better than other opposition figures.
"At least Kalonzo is honest; when work has been done, he acknowledges it, saying, ‘Look, it has been done.’ As for the others, even if you were to build a road right to their very doorstep, they would still claim there is no road. They are the ultimate liars," Ruto said.
Meanwhile, the water project he commissioned covers Mbiuni and other areas of Machakos County.
It is funded jointly by the Government of Kenya and the African Development Bank at a cost of KSh1.7 billion, and aims to meet the growing demand for clean drinking water in Mwala, Makutano, Masii, Kabaa and Mbiuni.
The project includes water storage tanks at Muthei in Masii Ward and a 105-kilometre main pipeline that carries treated water through Kayatta, Mbiuni, Mwala, Masii, Makutano and Kyuluni.
