RUTO TERMED WORSE THAN MOI

Former UDA Vice Chairman Kipruto Arap Kirwa has compared President William Ruto to Kenya’s second President, Daniel Arap Moi — often referred as an autocrat — arguing that Ruto’s regime is even worse, at an extent President Moi look “like an angel," in comparison to Ruto.

During a radio interview on Friday, Kirwa said that while Moi’s era was marked by authoritarian tactics such as detention without trial, those actions were nonetheless permitted by the old constitution. By contrast, he claimed, Ruto routinely acts outside the law.

“Moi’s infamous detentions without trial were legally supported by the old constitution. By contrast, Ruto undertakes actions outside legal frameworks, undermining both governance ethics and Christian values,” he said.

Kirwa accused the President of masking his failures behind religious rhetoric, pointing to the ongoing scandal surrounding the Social Health Authority (SHA) as a prime example.
Recent investigations have linked certain aspects of SHA to ghost hospitals and fraudulent claims, even as the healthcare system struggles to serve ordinary Kenyans.

“When Kenyans are dying in hospitals while government defends fake institutions, that is deeply immoral,” he argued.

The former minister said such contradictions expose the gap between the President’s public image as a devout Christian and the reality of his governance.

Beyond governance, Kirwa turned his attention to Kenya’s political culture, warning against what he described as dangerous tribal and religious loyalties. In his Rift Valley backyard, he noted, many citizens support Ruto simply because of his Kalenjin identity.

“Such divisions prevent accountability and silence criticism. We need social re-engineering where leaders are judged on values, service, and constitutional responsibility instead of community identity,” he said.

According to him, blind loyalty has allowed leaders to sidestep scrutiny, feeding into corruption and failed service delivery.

Kirwa further argued that the administration has badly misjudged its standing with Kenyans, overestimating its influence while dismissing growing frustration over the economy, governance failures, and broken promises.

He insisted that, compared to Moi — whose leadership, despite its flaws, still operated within constitutional confines — Ruto’s style is marked by manipulation, disregard for morality, and outright deception.

Shifting to the 2027 elections, Kirwa delivered his most direct warning yet. He said the government’s popularity has already collapsed to the point that no amount of manipulation can guarantee victory.

“I am happy, the current regime stands no chance,” he said.
“Even if they attempt to steal two million votes, the gap between them and the alternative leadership will be too wide.”

Kirwa mocked the idea of inflating numbers in regions that don’t even have the population to support them.

“You cannot tell us that in a region with less than two million people, you got three million votes. Importing votes from outside the country would be a logistical nightmare,” he remarked.

He concluded with a blunt reminder to the President’s camp:

“I advise them that they will lose the election whether they import two million votes or not. The will of the people cannot be overturned.”

Kirwa’s comments come as opposition-aligned leaders step up preparations for 2027, with several presidential hopefuls already building momentum across the country.