President William Ruto’s new title, Githinji, has taken the country by storm as Kenyans have now begun embracing it. The first opposition leader who has come out to adopt it is the former deputy president, who has been his vocal critic ever since their fallout in October 2024.

During his tenure as president, he has ended up having many nicknames. Each season, he gets a nickname that defines him, unlike his predecessor, who earned his nicknames “Jayden” and “Uhunye” for good reasons linked to his royalty, coming from an opulent family, and his prince-like demeanour due to being the son of a former president.

It’s different with President Ruto; all of his nicknames are usually negative. Since Ruto began his political career, he has been getting nicknames for the wrong reasons, with most nicknames geared toward the accusations that he has long faced while holding public office.

Embracing Kasongo

During the Gen Z protests, his nickname, Kasongo, was more pronounced. Kenyans enjoyed it for the better part of 2024, forcing him to embrace it and join Kenyans in cherishing it. He even danced to the “Kasongo” song at the Kisii State Lodge.

He later came out to slam Kenyans on how they never tire of giving him nicknames. During the same period, he was also given the title Kaongo, which emanates from muongo (a liar), referring to the unfulfilled promises that have marred his administration.

Githinji

From Kasongo to Kaongo, now Kenyans have resorted to referring to him as Githinji. This has been the talk of the town in the recent past. He earned the title during the funeral of Raila Odinga. Kenyans were online referring to him by that title.

The name came from nowhere and was even trending at number two after the death and funeral proceedings of the late former prime minister.

At first, everyone who saw it repeatedly was asking, “Who is Githinji?” The name had got on people’s lips and even extended to Kenyans making challenges out of it.

The name Githinji, which is synonymous with Mount Kenya communities, was accorded to the president and is attributed to the deaths and forced disappearances that became common during the Gen Z protests, with young Kenyans losing their lives due to police brutality and many others.

Gachagua’s reaction

The former Deputy President, who never delays in calling out the president, has already come out, changing gears from Kasongo to Githinji in his criticism directed at the president. While speaking in Murang’a during a funeral service, he called out the president using his Githinji title:

“Wewe Githinji, ujue sisi si roho chafu. Wewe ndio umechafua roho zetu,” Gachagua stated.

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, during the Ngemi Feast in Murang’a, also came out referring to him using the same name while making fun of him.

The evolution of President Ruto’s nicknames from Kasongo to Kaongo and now Githinji is more than just a social media trend; it is a reflection of the shifting political atmosphere in Kenya.

These names carry with them the public’s sentiments, frustrations, and subtle forms of protest against the administration’s perceived failures, especially in relation to unkept promises and rising cases of state-linked brutality during the Gen Z protests.