President William Ruto has sharply escalated his war of words with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, telling him and his allies to “punguzeni kiburi” and stop behaving like they are superior to other Kenyans.

Ruto declared on Sunday, April 26, 2026, while speaking at a church service at Presbyterian Teachers’ College Rubate in Tharaka Nithi County alongside Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.

“Nyinyi ni binadamu kama sisi, punguzeni kiburi. There will be no slave owners in Kenya,”

He accused Gachagua’s camp of arrogance, claiming they act as if they alone know everything and have the right to decide the destiny of all Kenyans. “Akina Gachagua wanataka kutuambia ati wao ndio wanajua everything. They are worse than colonialists, ati wao ndio wataamua kila kitu,” Ruto charged.

In contrast, the President positioned himself as a unifier, stating: “I will make it my calling to bring Kenyans together, because I believe in what unity can do.”

The sharp exchange marks a new low in the bitter beef between the two men who once ran the country together. What began as a political divorce has now turned into open hostility, with both leaders trading heavy blows over control of the influential Mt Kenya vote ahead of 2027.

Ruto’s Mt Kenya offensive and defense

Just a day earlier in Murang’a, Ruto had fired the first salvo, insisting no one can shake his deep roots in the region after 20 years of working with its people.

“The Murima people and I are like a ring and a finger. We can’t be separated,” he said, dismissing Gachagua’s camp as lacking any agenda beyond chanting “Kasongo must go.” He vowed to ignore insults and focus on delivery roads, education, agriculture, and healthcare while branding his critics as merchants of tribalism, hatred, and division.

Gachagua has hit back hard. In Kirinyaga, he warned Ruto he would bag less than five per cent of the mountain vote, declaring himself “mtoto wa Mau Mau” and vowing to defend the region.

He accused Ruto of single-handedly destroying the coffee sector through cartels and then blaming others. During a Kitui rally, Gachagua mockingly told Ruto to visit the Pope in Italy for divine intervention so he could “punguze uongo” and stop suggesting Gen Z protesters be shot in the foot.

The road to 2027 and mounting stakes

The former DP has also predicted a crushing 5-million-vote defeat for Ruto in 2027 and is aggressively pushing a “gather all, scatter none” strategy to consolidate Mt Kenya behind him.

The personal and political rift is now centre stage. Ruto is betting on incumbency, development record, and national unity. Gachagua is banking on regional grievance, identity, and anti-Ruto mobilisation.