Former Nairobi Town Clerk Philip Kisia has come out to question President William Ruto’s silence on remarks made by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni regarding the Indian Ocean.

Speaking during an interview on a local podcast channel on Friday, November 21, 2025, Kisia expressed disappointment at how the President could remain silent on such a critical issue.

He went on to fault top government departments, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior, for also remaining silent in circumstances where the country’s sovereignty is at risk.

“We are so occupied with by-elections, and nobody is speaking about Museveni’s threat to our sovereign state. How can someone come to your territory and threaten you, and you keep quiet, no matter how weak you are?” Kisia questioned.

According to Kisia, the President’s silence, while the entire country looks to him for action, is deliberate. He argued that since the government is aware it may not be re-elected in 2027, and given that elections typically occur in times of peace, allowing such a matter to escalate could suspend elections, enabling the current leadership to stay in power while the nation is preoccupied with defending its territory.

“The only conclusion I have is that this is deliberate; they are preparing us for some chaos so that when elections near, we concentrate on defending our territory and not elections,” Kisia said.

Idi Amin situation

Kisia cited the 1977 situation when the country’s sovereignty was threatened by the late Ugandan President Idi Amin Dada, who claimed that Uganda’s borders should extend to Naivasha rather than Malaba. He said that then-President Jomo Kenyatta treated the matter with urgency, responding firmly and daring Amin to act.

Manyora’s view

Herman Manyora, who was part of the interview, also cited the United Kingdom under Margaret Thatcher, when the country went to war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands. Manyora criticised the President for remaining silent when national pride is at stake.

This comes days after the Foreign Affairs CS held talks with President Yoweri Museveni in Uganda following these remarks, though the contents and outcomes of their discussion were not disclosed to the public.

It also follows Museveni himself, who, while speaking during a media interview in Uganda, stated that each landlocked country within the East African region is entitled to access the Indian Ocean, warning that failure to address the issue could spark conflicts in the future.