President William Ruto has dismissed the opposition as a passing threat to his re-election, saying his rivals stand no chance in the 2027 General Election if all they bring to voters is slogans.

The President spoke on Monday, October 12, at a rally in Maraba, Tinderet constituency, Nandi County, where he had commissioned the Maraba Modern Market on the third day of his development tour of the North Rift.

"Raw jealousy"

Ruto accused his critics of being driven by envy over his administration's projects rather than by a credible alternative plan. "All they are selling us is raw jealousy," he said, according to The Star.

He told the crowd that name-calling would not help his opponents. "Too much noise and calling me names will not help you," he said, before adding that Kenya would move forward in unity regardless of their jealousy.

Taking aim at the chants that have followed him at public events, the President said the opposition's biggest achievement had been coining slogans such as "Kasongo".

Ready to be judged

Ruto said he was prepared to put his record before voters next year. "I can confidently face the people of Kenya and tell them what I agreed with them, we have delivered," he said, according to Citizen Digital, which also reported that he described his rivals as "small-minded".

He listed the fertiliser subsidy programme, affordable housing, road construction, rural electrification and universal health coverage as achievements, and claimed that about 33 million Kenyans had registered with the Social Health Authority.

"I am ready for next year for the people to judge our administration," he said, adding that his manifesto commitments on infrastructure, health and education were on course.

The opposition's case

Opposition leaders have accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of incompetence and corruption, and several have promised to reverse some of its key policies if elected. The coalition, whose leading figures include Rigathi Gachagua, Kalonzo Musyoka, Fred Matiang'i, Martha Karua and Edwin Sifuna, has vowed to field a single candidate against Ruto, though it has yet to agree on who that will be.

On Sunday, Gachagua told Kenyans in the United States that the opposition would unite behind one flagbearer and that he would support another candidate if he was not picked.

A familiar line of attack

The President has repeatedly challenged the opposition to "ditch slogans" and present policy agendas, a message he has carried to rallies in several regions this year. His remarks in Nandi come as he tours six North Rift counties ahead of the Mashujaa Day celebrations in Eldoret on October 20.

Photo: Quirinale.it (Presidenza della Repubblica) / Wikimedia Commons, attribution licence, Attribution (Quirinale.it)