Ruto to Uhuru: You failed the youth you are now inciting

President William Ruto on Sunday told the youths not to listen to naysayers inciting them against his administration.

In an indirect jab at his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, who on Friday urged young people to fight for their rights, Ruto said those inciting the youth failed to create jobs for them.

Although Ruto took a subtle jab at Uhuru, his allies in the Western region, publicly criticised the former president, terming his remarks as a sign of disrespect to the current administration.

Ruto said those inciting the youth had nothing to offer as they had run out of ideas and agenda thus resorting to violence. He said leaders should join him to create opportunities for the youth.

“Our young people deserve the best from us as parents, government, and leaders. We don’t need to incite our children to engage in violence and chaos. Our young people of Kenya don’t need violence or confrontational they want opportunities, they want jobs and they want to engage in business and that is what we should be doing as leaders instead of inciting them to violence, destruction, and many things that will not solve their problem and the problem of our country,” said Ruto.

Ruto and Uhuru have enjoyed a relatively cordial since the December 9, 2024 rapprochement when the president visited his predecessor at his family home in Gatundu.

Although the two issued contradicting statements on the agenda of the meeting, most analysts hoped that the appointment of Uhuru’s allies, Mutahi Kagwe, William Kabogo, and Lee Kinyajui, into government, would cement their bromance.

In a new political twist, Uhuru launched a broadside against the country’s leadership, calling on the young people to fight for their rights and protect the country’s assets from graft.

“The problem with you (youth) is that you have become afraid, even you Ngina (his daughter join the others because Gen Z is the story of the future.

“Fight for your rights and stop sitting around while your hard-earned sacrifice is stolen. Fight until justice is served, because nothing lasts forever,” said Uhuru.

Speaking yesterday in Mt. Elgon Constituency, Bungoma County during a church service at Cheptais High School, Ruto said leaders should incite youths to have violence and chaos.

He said his administration had elaborate plans to create job employment and opportunities for youths to uplift their living standards.

The youth take up job opportunities in affordable housing projects, aggregation centres, immigration labor, and Information Communication Technology (ICT) hubs to better their lives.

“Don’t be worried by the naysayers who are making a lot of noise and insults because their plans have failed and they don’t have an alternative plan to offer, If I ask them right now to give us their plan they don’t have except protests and chaos but what I want to assure people is that Kenya will move forward progressively,” said Ruto.

Ruto said he has put in place good plans for youth right away from education to employment urging parents and leaders not to abandon Kenyan children to be misused by people.

“I want to say this without fear of contradiction, and to tell us parents, teachers, nation, leaders, religious organisations, and everybody that we cannot run away or abandon our children to their designs and it is our responsibility. Our children and the children of Kenya are our responsibility. We cannot run away from that responsibility. It is upon us to ensure they get good education, mentorship, character, and they stand for the right things,” said Ruto.

He added: “We need to plan for them also to get jobs, to be engaged, to do business, thrive and to flourish and that is how we are going to have the next generation of Kenyans and therefore I want to ask parents and leaders all of us have responsibility over our children. We should not allow our children to get lost, they are the only children we have, and love the so-called Gen-Zs, these are our children and we are responsible for them because it is our responsibility to make sure they get a good education, and jobs, good mentorship, and good character and their success is the success of our country.

Ruto urged leaders and parents to join hands together so that they can nurture a society that will be respectful, and have jobs and good plans in the future.

The Head of State added that his administration has put in place measures to create job opportunities for youth, including housing projects.

“As is the speak over 250,000 youths are working under the affordable housing project, we have ICT centres and 120,000 in TVETS and ICT hubs are doing digital jobs and we have agreed with MPs that every ward in Kenya must have an ICT hub. As a government we are providing teachers, computers, and internet to ensure youths have jobs, last year 280,00 youths got jobs abroad under the immigration labor and construction of modern markets across the country and that is how we are going to create job employment,” said Ruto.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the merger between ANC and UDA would not sideline one community against the rest but to help the implementation of their manifesto.

Trans Nzoia Senator Allan Chesang accused Uhuru of inciting the youths against the government.

“Mr President, we were happy when you visited the former president for a united country, but he does not walk the talk and he has lost direction by inciting the youths. If he wants to join those trying to undermine your government, let him do so, and let us who want to unite the country do so and walk together,” said Chesang.

Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama asked the retired president to stay at home and enjoy his retirement.

His Sirisia counterpart, John Walukhe, accused the former president of a lack of respect for the country by inciting youths to protest and cause violence, urging youths not to fall into the trap.