Ruto Slams Kalonzo Over Kibwezi Road as Political Feud Escalates

President William Ruto and former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka are now locked in an increasingly public political standoff, with sharp exchanges over leadership records, development claims, and the controversial Kibwezi road. The clash intensified on Tuesday after President Ruto responded forcefully to remarks Kalonzo made earlier in the week, turning a policy debate into a personal and political showdown.

The exchange began on Sunday when President Ruto accused Kalonzo of pessimism and questioned his authority to criticize government development programs. Kalonzo responded by urging the President to stop using his name during public engagements and challenged remarks made about his home region.
“Ruto was in Kiambu where he made me the subject instead of worshipping. He was talking about me and my home area, saying there are no roads,” he said on Monday.
“He said I have been in governance and leadership for 50 years. I will correct him, it’s 40 years.”

Ruto’s response came a day later during the laying of the Foundation Stone for the Turkana University Students’ Hostel in Turkana County. The President dismissed Kalonzo’s criticism and accused him of lacking tangible achievements despite decades in leadership.

What sparked the Ruto and Kalonzo clash over development?

At the center of the dispute is the Kibwezi to Bondoni road, which Kalonzo has previously associated himself with. President Ruto rejected that claim outright, stating that the project was initiated during the 2013 to 2017 administration when he served as Deputy President under Uhuru Kenyatta.

“He (Kalonzo) tried to respond to me and said he was the one who launched the road from Kibwezi to Bondoni. Look for the idiots to deceive. Fools are no longer in Kenya. You didn’t build that road. It’s Uhuru Kenyatta and I. We have the facts. We have the evidence. The mind to build a road, I am afraid, will take you a while,” Ruto noted.

The President doubled down on earlier remarks questioning Kalonzo’s development track record, repeating the now viral claim that the opposition leader has failed to deliver even basic infrastructure in his own backyard.

How is Ruto defending his development agenda amid criticism?

Ruto escalated his critique by linking leadership credibility to tangible results.
“If you can’t build your own road, you will build someone else’s. In 40 years you haven’t built a road to your own. How many hundred years do you need to build a road for other Kenyans? Wouldn’t it take 1000 years?” Ruto posed.

Despite the political noise, the President insisted his administration remains focused on long term economic transformation. He emphasized that recent legislative milestones are meant to accelerate development and reduce inequality across the country.

“Our plan is to lift 10 million people from poverty. Yesterday we passed the National Infrastructure Fund and the Sovereign Wealth Fund which will help us close the gap between the poor and the rich,” he noted.

President Ruto further revealed that the government plans to roll out development projects worth Ksh.5 trillion over the next decade using the two funds. As the war of words continues, the exchange highlights deeper political tensions that are likely to shape future debates around leadership, legacy, and national development priorities.

By Lucky Anyanje