Accused of filling government with his Kalenjin kinsmen since he came to power, President William Ruto has attempted to deflect the criticism that is expected to dominate the 2027 election campaign by appealing for national unity and ethnic coexistence.

President Ruto says national unity takes precedence over regional or ethnic interests in a strong and prosperous nation. Now, he wants Kenyans to shun tribal politics, but remains mute on criticism by opposition that his Kalenjin community gets priority in public office appointments.

The opposition led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua complains that the other 42 Kenya communities largely make up auxiliary staff in government.

The domination of public service, police and military by the Kalenjin community is gradually fomenting fears that president is mobilising his community as part of his strategy to stay in power beyond 2032 if he wins next year’s presidential election.

According to Gachagua, the fears became more manifest when the president tried to appoint his kinsmen to influential positions in the judiciary during recent interviews of judges of the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

President said his government was focused on entrenching national unity-driven equitable development in the country, adding that economic progress depends on collective effort and trust among Kenyans.

Speaking at Full Gospel Church Gatunduri in Manyatta Constituency in Embu County on Sunday, Ruto said he will not allow tribal politics to take root in the country.

Since he came to power in 2022, President Ruto has come under searing criticism for allegedly crowding state departments, ministries, state corporations and civil service with his Kalenjin tribesmen.

While the president has not refuted the allegations, the opposition says service delivery in public sector is at its lowest.

“I will not allow tribal politics to thrive in Kenya. No one will be allowed to divide Kenyans on tribal basis,” he pointed out.

Despite public opposition to tribal politics and calls for national unity senior positions in civil service, ministries, military police, foreign missions and state corporations are dominated by Kalenjin community, which ranks fourth after the Luhyia, Kikuyu and Luo.

He described those dividing the country along tribal lines as “enemies of national development and the future Kenyans.” The president told Kenyans not to be bothered by such leaders, noting that “empty vessels make the most noise”.

“Politicians should know that Kenyans will elect leaders depending on their development record and not on the basis of the public outbursts they blurt out,” the president explained.

He also made it clear that no individual delivered the Mt Kenya vote to him during the 2022 General Election, insisting that he personally campaigned in the entire region and directly sought the support of residents.

“I came here and asked you to vote for me. And you did. Do you remember? You saw me looking for votes here, including in your churches and I asked you to pray for me. And you subsequently gave me your votes,” President Ruto told the congregation.

He said it is misleading for some leaders to claim they single-handedly persuaded the people of Mt Kenya to support his presidential bid.

“I hear some people arrogantly saying they are the ones who asked you to vote for me. They imply that I did not come to seek for votes in Embu, and they are the ones who looked for votes for me,” the President pointed out.

At the same time, the President took the opportunity to enumerate the achievements of his administration in the past three and half years.

On education, he explained that pointed the government has undertaken major initiatives that are transforming the sector, including the hiring of 100,000 teachers, building 23,000 classrooms at Junior and Senior schools and streamlining the financing of higher education.

He noted that the government is determined to eliminate barriers that hinder the provision of quality education so that all learners get equal opportunities in school.

“This financial year, the education sector will receive Ksh784 billion, the highest allocation in the country’s budget history, from Ksh500,000 in 2022. Education remains an equalizer for all Kenyans,” President Ruto explained.

Additionally, the president pointed out that since the establishment of Social Health Authority (SHA) in October 2024, more than 31 million Kenyans have been registered.

He commended the residents of Embu County, under the leadership of Governor Cecily Mbarire, for mobilizing them to register with SHA. The President said the county is among the top five counties nationally in SHA registration.

“In Embu County, 72 per cent of the population is registered with SHA. The hospitals in the county have also been paid Ksh2.5 billion in the past 20 months for the various services they have offered,” he said.

President Ruto noted that the government has increased funding for the purchase of drugs in public hospitals all over the country from Ksh13 billion in the last financial year to Ksh19 billion in 2026/2027.

On the Affordable Housing Programme, he noted housing units, modern markets and student hostels are being built across the country, including Embu County. He explained that the programme has created jobs for close to 700,000 Kenyans in affordable housing and boosted manufacturing in the building and construction sector.

At the same time, the president announced that Ksh350 billion has been mobilised for the National Infrastructure Fund (NIF), noting that the Kenya Pipeline Company Initial Public Offering raised Ksh106 billion and the Safaricom share sale Ksh244 billion.

With these funds, the NIF will leverage private capital that will drive mega infrastructure development projects across the country, he said.

In agriculture, President Ruto said the cost of agricultural inputs had reduced significantly while reforms in the coffee sector had improved farmers’ earnings.

“We agreed that we would reform agriculture. You know the price of fertiliser has reduced. We also promised to improve coffee prices, which we have done. A kilo of coffee cherry in Embu is selling at between Sh140 and Sh150 up from Sh60 in 2022,” the president said.

The dairy sector has also grown substantially, with Kenya producing 5.4 billion litres of milk up from 4.5 billion in 2022 and making it the largest milk-producing country in Africa. Governor Mbarire and local MPs praised the government for giving priority to development projects that have a direct impact on the lives of ordinary Kenyans.

Ms Mbarire said Embu County is benefitting from the construction of 300 kilometre of tarmac roads during President Ruto’s three years in office compared to 80 kilometre during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s period.

“I also want to particularly thank President Ruto for the plans to have the Italian government build a Level Five Hospital in the county at a cost of Ksh1 billion. We don’t take it for granted,” Ms Mbarire said.

The leaders assured the President of their support for his re-election next year, saying he was the only who has a plan to transform Kenya and make it a first-world economy.

• A Tell Media / KNA report