Political analyst Barrack Muluka has raised concerns about President William Ruto’s leadership, accusing him of steering Kenya towards an oligarchy.

Speaking on a local radio station on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, the former Amani National Congress (ANC) secretary-general warned that Ruto’s actions suggest a deliberate effort to create a wealthy, powerful elite class that did not previously exist.

Muluka described Ruto’s approach as “oligarchical collectivism,” a term he borrowed from George Orwell’s 1984.

“What do I mean by oligarchical collectivism? That you look at certain social groups and you try to collectivise them into that space of a newly arrived wealthy class in power,” he explained.

Ethnic divisions fuel new elite

According to Muluka, this involves targeting specific social or ethnic groups and elevating them into a ruling elite, a move he believes is reshaping Kenya’s power structure. The analyst pointed to emerging divisions in the country, describing them as “competing ethnically organised streams.”

He highlighted a troubling trend where groups are being pitted against each other.

“There is now a new one that is calling itself the stream of cousins versus the stream of Nilotes,” he said.

Muluka warned that such polarisation could destabilise Kenya.

“We cannot afford to take the country into that kind of polarity. It’s their America,” he said, drawing a comparison to divisive politics elsewhere.

Muluka’s critique suggests that Ruto’s leadership is fostering a system where power and wealth are concentrated among a select few, potentially deepening inequality and ethnic tensions. The creation of a new elite, Muluka argues, risks alienating other groups and undermining national unity.

Muluka’s remarks come at a time when Kenya is experiencing growing public dissatisfaction over the rising cost of living, proposed tax increases, and claims of corruption in high places. Many Kenyans have taken to social media and the streets to express their frustrations, calling for transparency, fairness, and accountability from those in power.