Cheruiyot tells off Uhuru over attacks on Ruto

Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot has entered the widening public dispute between President William Ruto and his predecessor, pushing back sharply against what he characterised as sustained and unwarranted attacks on the sitting head of state.

Cheruiyot, who represents Kericho County and is among the most outspoken Kenya Kwanza legislators, directed his remarks at former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has made a series of public statements in recent months that have been widely interpreted as pointed criticism of his onetime deputy and political successor. The two leaders, once close enough to run on the same Jubilee ticket through both the 2013 and 2017 elections, experienced a well-documented falling out that significantly reshaped the country's political alignment ahead of the 2022 General Election.

Cheruiyot argued that Kenyatta's continued public commentary was not in the national interest and suggested the former president's motivations deserved scrutiny. He called on Kenyatta to allow the current administration the space to govern without the interference of sustained criticism from an influential former leader who retains significant political capital.

The exchange reflects a broader tension that has defined Kenyan politics since Ruto's August 2022 election victory. Kenyatta, who broke from Ruto and backed opposition leader Raila Odinga, has remained an active voice on the political periphery. His profile makes him a convenient focal point for both sides — Kenya Kwanza legislators who wish to discredit his remarks and opposition quarters that view his criticism as substantive validation.

Cheruiyot is not alone in regularly responding to Kenyatta's statements; several Cabinet Secretaries and allied MPs have adopted a similar posture. Analysts say the strategy keeps public attention focused on the former president rather than on pressing governance matters such as the country's ongoing debt burden and the cost of living.