BY WAKHUNGU ANDANJE
March 20, 2026| Clouds over the 2027 general election are gathering with ominous speed, threatening a heavy political downpour as President William Ruto and a newly united opposition engage in escalating verbal warfare. Patience appears to have run out on both sides, with each faction baying for the other’s blood in a duel that has increasingly turned personal.
Speaking on Thursday in Malava Constituency during the launch of a water project in Butali Chegulo Ward, President Ruto dismissed the opposition’s attacks as “verbal diarrhea” and asked Kenyans to steer clear of the fray, insisting he would handle his detractors alone.
“I urge you, the good people of Malava and Kenya in general, to kindly continue with your normal day-to-day chores of building this great nation,” the President said. “Let me deal with these political puppets who have declared that I will be their only agenda until 2027. I assure you, I will destabilize them as early as possible and send them into political oblivion.”
The President’s remarks signal a new, more combative phase in the country’s political landscape. With the general election now only 17 months away, both sides appear to have abandoned restraint, unleashing a torrent of accusations ranging from corruption and murder to deeply personal body-shaming jibes.
In recent days, President Ruto has taken the fight directly to opposition leaders, dismantling each one who dares to throw a salvo. In turn, the united opposition has launched political ballistics aimed at weakening his strong support base. The exchanges have drawn sharp criticism from religious leaders and civil society, who warn that the vitriol is unhealthy for national stability and erodes moral values among the youth.
Social media platforms have become a battleground of their own, with ‘The Statesman Digital’ emerging as a key arena for debate. Political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi weighed in with pointed questions, asking: “Did Ruto have a point when he called Rigathi Gachagua a cold-blooded thief who stole from his dead brother? Was he right when he called Matiang’i fat, big stomach, and about to burst? And was he right when he doubted whether Wamalwa was a boy or a girl? There are no morals in politics,” Ngunyi posted.
Lawyer Wahome Thuku suggested the President missed an opportunity to rise above the fray. He argued that instead of descending into mudslinging, Ruto could have countered with a focus on his development record: responding to body-shaming remarks by listing his administration’s achievements—affordable housing, markets, the SGR extension, and healthcare—with the simple retort: “Lazima utakonda” (you will definitely lose weight).
The political temperature has also reignited old tensions between the President and his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua. Pauline Njoroge noted the apparent contradiction in Ruto’s recent accusations, writing: “When that young woman died in an accident, Ruto personally called her mother to condole with her… At no point did he suggest any foul play. Shortly thereafter, he went on to pick Gachagua as his running mate. If Ruto believed that Gachagua had committed such a grave crime, why did he remain silent?”
On the other side, youthful Pastor T. Mwangi observed that the former deputy had successfully drawn the President into a messy contest. “Gachagua was very intentional to get the President’s attention,” he said. “The President has been dragged into a very murky and muddy space, and the opposition is very happy that he has come to their level, which gives the battle value.”
As the two sides prepare for the next round, Kenyans are left to pick sides along familiar political lines. Yet beneath the partisan noise, a growing consensus is emerging: the unbridled exchanges risk leaving deep scars on the nation’s social fabric.
With skeletons being pulled from closets and gloves now fully off, many are calling on the church and other authorities to step in before the political storm spirals beyond control. One thing, however, remains certain—the road to 2027 will be anything but quiet.