Jane Kihara has launched a sharp attack on President William Ruto, accusing him of running the government alone without consulting other leaders or listening to advice from those around him.

Speaking during an interview with Kameme TV on Thursday, May 21, 2026, the Naivasha legislator claimed that President Ruto has centralised power and personally dictates key government decisions.

“Ruto runs the government single-handedly, and he is the one who says what needs to be done and does not take advice from anyone. He dictates on what needs to be done and runs the government on chest-thumping,” Kihara stated.

The legislator has further said that the president has consistently preferred working with leaders he can easily control and who do not question his decisions.

Kihara has added that this was one of the reasons President Ruto had difficulties working with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. According to her, Gachagua was independent-minded and outspoken, making it difficult for the president to control him politically.

She argued that Gachagua openly expressed his opinions and was willing to challenge certain decisions within government, something she suggested did not sit well with the head of state.

The MP has further said that President Ruto opted to work closely with the current deputy president, Kithure Kindiki, because he believed he would not question or oppose directives coming from the president.

According to Kihara, the move reflects what she described as a leadership style centred on loyalty and obedience rather than open consultation and debate.

Ruto’s running 2027 mate choice

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said that President William Ruto faces his biggest political crisis yet as he struggles to find a running mate ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Speaking during an interview in the UK on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Gachagua accused Ruto of using him to win power in 2022 before pushing him aside once he entered the State House. According to Gachagua, that decision created a trust problem that now makes it difficult for Ruto to attract a strong deputy candidate.

Gachagua said Ruto picked him because of the political influence he carried in the Mount Kenya region. However, he claimed the president became uncomfortable with having an independent deputy who could challenge decisions inside government.

“He knew I’m a strong guy, and he didn’t want anybody strong. He didn’t want somebody who is an independent thinker and somebody who can stand his ground and say this is wrong and this is right,” Gachagua said.

The former deputy president claimed he refused to stay silent after the election victory, forcing Ruto to remove him and replace him with someone more loyal.

“I couldn’t be a flower girl, so he had to get rid of me and get a flower girl,” Gachagua said.

Gachagua argued that the fallout damaged Ruto politically because potential allies now fear betrayal. He said many leaders question whether the president can be trusted to honour political agreements.

“When you pick a running mate, you misuse him to get your numbers. When you are set for the presidency, you get rid of him,” he said. “He has a serious trust deficit.”