As the movement to dethrone President William Ruto picks up pace within the freshly formed opposition alliances, former Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana has stepped in to remind the leaders not to underestimate the President’s formidable political prowess.

Speaking on Thursday, 27 February 2025, during the launch of Karua’s rebranded People’s Liberation Party, formerly known as Narc Kenya, Kibwana warned opposition leaders of the political shrewdness Ruto possesses and stressed that success will only come with being well-prepared for the battle ahead.

According to Kibwana, Ruto excels in last-minute political manoeuvres, and no one should be quick to celebrate his downfall unless they have meticulously planned their approach to take him on.

“We must not be premature in our celebrations. Ruto is a master of last-mile politics, a skilled strategist who never makes it easy for anyone. It’s not just about feeling happy or proud; it’s about hard work and determination,” he said.

“Alafu nikimalizia, nataka niseme huyu Kasongo ni mgumu. Na, he is good at last-mile politics. Kwa hivyo huyu ni mtu wa kupanguliwa vilivyo—watu wakifikiri ni mteremko, ana mbinu nyingi. Tusiseme tunafurahi, tunafurahi hiyo siyo enough. Kazi inatakiwa ifanywe.”

Kibwana proceeded to commend Gachagua’s relentless efforts to mobilise opposition against Ruto, lauding his home region of Wamunyoro as the new epicentre of political realignment.

He expressed confidence in both Gachagua’s and Karua’s ability to rally the right forces, asserting that, if executed with precision, their collective strategy could drastically alter Kenya’s political landscape and ultimately produce the next president.

“Na nimeona kwamba kuna new political capital mahali panaitwa Wamunyoro, na ninaona kwamba tutaendelea. Kwa sababu ukiona watu kama kina Mukisa, ambao wamezunguka nchi nyingi, wana marafiki wengi, na wanaweza ‘to get the dough finished.”

Kibwana further extended his support to Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, acknowledging his potential as a viable presidential contender.

Despite their past political frictions, Kibwana vouched for Kalonzo’s credibility, emphasising that he had never been tainted by corruption allegations—an increasingly rare virtue in Kenyan politics.

“Hata ndugu yangu Kalonzo tunakuwanga na shida kidogo kidogo, lakini ana uwezo wa kuwa kiongozi. He has not been mentioned in corruption scandals, kwa hivyo hapo kuna jambo. Na huyu mzee Gachagua ni mtoto wa Mau Mau, kwa hivyo hapo kuna jambo.”

True liberation

Kibwana then delved deeper into his rationale for consistently advocating for a genuine and principled reason to oust Ruto.

He insisted that given the socio-economic turmoil the nation has endured under Ruto’s tumultuous administration, Kenya’s next leader must be one of integrity—untainted by the greed and political malfeasance that have characterised previous regimes.

To him, the battle against Ruto should not be about merely switching one self-serving leader for another but rather a patriotism-driven revolution, fuelled by citizens whose sole agenda is to steer the country towards genuine progress.

“What I want to say is that this has to be a true people’s liberation because we do not want to replace one Kasongo with another Kasongo. And the young people—tunataka wasiwe tu watu wa party wings.”

He concluded by emphasising that Kenya’s leadership moving forward must be more structured, collective, and inclusive rather than centralised around one domineering individual, as has been witnessed.

“Hiyo kiti cha Rais kinaweza kukaliwa tu na mtu mmoja, sio watu wawili. And even when one person is the president in 2027 and beyond, what I think this country desperately needs is governance that functions as a unit—so that the president is accountable, not an absolute ruler as we have seen.”