William Ruto: Father who goes missing when needed most

As the country slides into anarchy amid protests and police brutality, many Kenyans are left wondering who will steer the ship. The Head of State and Government, President William Ruto, appears to have failed to fill the nation’s father-figure role.

Political analysts and commentators have called on President Ruto to provide leadership and adopt a conciliatory tone to heal a bleeding nation.

According to analysts, the Head of State should inspire trust, hope, and provide a sense of stability and guidance to the country—qualities they argue Ruto has not demonstrated.

According to Prof Gitile Naituli, a Professor of Leadership and Management at Multimedia University, such attributes are essential as they enable a President to navigate turbulent times and build a strong connection with the public.

“By emphasising collaboration and shared goals, a conciliatory approach can help bridge divides and reduce political tensions,” Prof Naituli observed.

Analyst Joshua Mwangi noted that instead of providing leadership during a time of national crisis, the President appeared angry at the very citizens he is mandated to protect, even as he issued "shoot in the leg" orders to police.

“The actions and remarks by the President should be presidential. He is supposed to lead all Kenyans, as opposed to calling those opposed to his leadership style terrorists. He should bring the country together, not employ divide-and-rule tactics,” Mwangi said.

He was referring to an incident on Tuesday in which Ruto, visibly angry, described those who burnt police stations as terrorists and vowed to deal with individuals allegedly plotting to oust him from power unconstitutionally.

"I want to tell those characters giving us lectures that they can change this administration using violence and unlawful means before 2027—let them try," he said.

"This is a democratic nation and Kenyans will choose the nation's leadership through the ballot. We cannot choose leadership through violence. That is not going to happen in this country."

This comes even as the Opposition continues to pile pressure on the President to resign, claiming he has breached his social contract with Kenyans. Meanwhile, a section of the political class maintains they are consulting like-minded stakeholders to craft a strategy for holding him to account.

Former Chief Justice David Maraga maintained that the buck stops with the President, saying he was to blame for the current turmoil and proposed it was time to "commence a process to hold the President accountable for gross violations of the Constitution."

“Kenyans can decide what this process would entail. I am confident that together, we will reset this country to the rule of law, restore dignity and rebuild our economy. I pray for wisdom and for continued courage for us all,” he said.

According to Maraga, the country is witnessing a violent escalation of state repression and is crying out for a moral front to consolidate the incredible courage of the youth demanding a better future.

“Kenyans are tired of the violence, the collapsing economy, the poor healthcare and the failing education sector. A nation cannot stand when its people's backs are broken. We face a deep crisis. We are on the abyss of instability. But we do not have to give in to anarchy. We can prevent more bloodshed. We can prevent destruction of property. A moment like this calls upon us to write the next chapter of the history of our nation with the ink of moral fortitude,” he said.

On her part, People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua accused Ruto’s administration of blatant disregard for democratic principles. She urged the President to heed public calls to resign, saying it would be both timely and the right thing to do.

“Whether you have been elected overwhelmingly or marginally, when the people loudly express themselves, in developed democracies, a government would not resort to killing—it would actually resign and pave the way,” Karua said during an interview on Citizen TV.

She added, “But we are seeing a ruling elite that has no respect for the people or the Constitution. Not respecting people’s voices and resorting to murder to sustain yourself in power is total contempt—not only for human life but also for the voices of the people.”

Karua said the eruption of protests in at least 37 counties indicated that Kenyans had effectively fired Ruto’s administration.

“I may think I’m the best, but if people think otherwise, I must give way to what the people think. I am not the one who has sacked William Ruto; it is the people of Kenya who, through coming out in 37 counties, collectively told him: you and your regime—your share of life has expired.”

She cited former South African President Thabo Mbeki’s resignation when recalled by his party as a model of responsible leadership.

Karua also referenced her own example, recalling how she voluntarily resigned as a Cabinet Minister during the Grand Coalition Government due to differences over leadership principles.

“We saw Thabo Mbeki leave South Africa. Even for those of us who were watching, we felt he had done such a great job, but he respected the wishes of the people.

“Even if you feel that perhaps you have been misunderstood, you still must give way—and that is the standard I hold myself to. I resigned voluntarily as a Cabinet minister, losing almost half of my salary, privilege and power, but saying: because I am not comfortable with what is going on within government, I removed myself and returned to the back benches of Parliament.”

Separately, Jubilee Party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni said the President should listen to Kenyans’ outcry and initiate an exit strategy. He rejected the idea of a national dialogue, as proposed by ODM leader Raila Odinga.

“The nationwide calls are ‘Ruto must go (now)’ and that doesn’t require dialogue—it requires an exit plan. Calling for a national dialogue is a gimmick to hold Kenyans for the next two years while the ruling elite enjoy power,” he said.

Kioni called for the immediate cessation of state-sponsored violence, the unconditional release of all arrested protesters, and the establishment of open and public inquests into all deaths and disappearances linked to protests. He also demanded respect for constitutional rights, including freedom of assembly, speech, and public participation, and advocated for a genuine national conversation—not choreographed monologues—on the cost of living, governance, and youth inclusion.

However, as Karua and Kioni called for Ruto’s resignation, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua insisted that the President should serve his full term and dismissed claims of an attempted coup.

“Mr Ruto, just relax. No leader wants to overthrow you from the government. No one has the capacity. We want to humiliate you at the ballot in 2027. Stop creating narratives to justify the use of trumped-up charges against your critics,” Gachagua said.