Former Makueni Governor Prof Kivutha Kibwana.
Former Makueni Governor and Daystar University don Kivutha Kibwana has called on President William Ruto to stick to the Constitution in an open letter in which he accuses the Head of State of underperformance.
The constitutional lawyer further accuses Dr Ruto of plotting to conveniently tinker with the Constitution to accommodate his political allies in his administration.
“Mr President, I beseech you that you embrace the Constitution. Although a tall order, if accomplished, it can possibly alter your and our fortunes,” Prof Kibwana says in the letter seen by the Nation.
“You need to believe in your country and your people. It is good to have confidence in oneself, but that is just the beginning of exercising humane leadership. Citizens are plainly saying your output is below your pay grade.”
Titled ‘Where do we go from here?’, Prof Kibwana’s letter comes at a time President Ruto is reported to be courting opposition leader Raila Odinga to stabilise his government in the wake of negative appraisal by the public, spirited attacks by the opposition and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
After Mr Odinga lost the African Union Commission chairman bid last month, allies of President Ruto have called on the Head of State to find a way of accommodating the Orange Democratic Movement leader in his executive.
On his part, Mr Odinga has called for full implementation of the National Dialogue Committee report which seeks to expand the executive as part of his conditions to engage President Ruto.
President William Ruto (right) and Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at State House in Mombasa on February 24, 2025.
“Mr President, I implore you not to acquiesce to the machinations of a camarilla bent on misadvising you that the constitutional proposals you desire can be crafted solely by Parliament. Parliamentary initiative amendments do require citizen public participation. Kenyans will reject any backdoor constitutional changes sanctioned without their consent. The only legitimate constitutional review that members of Parliament (MPs) have over the years stubbornly declined to promulgate concerns the two thirds gender rule,” Prof Kibwana adds.
A political activist, Prof Kibwana has used the open letter to underline and contextualise key shortcomings weighing down the Kenya Kwanza administration.
In addition to President Ruto’s alleged aversion to the constitution as demonstrated by his various attempts to circumvent some of the principles of the constitution such as public participation and separation of powers, Prof Kibwana accuses the Head of State of assembling incompetent Cabinet secretaries and principal secretaries and surrounding himself with sycophants.
“You wished to onboard another layer of your future campaigners through the office of chief administrative secretary, a move foiled by citizen activism and judicial intervention,” he says.
President William Ruto..
According to Prof Kibwana, these issues have contributed greatly to President Ruto’s poor show in terms of service delivery and fulfilling his campaign pledges two years into his administration, and fueled last year’s youth-led uprising, which culminated in anti-government protestors storming Parliament on June 25.
“Consider henceforth appointing people of integrity, experience and professionalism into your government. A government is as good as the caliber of its officers, and rank and file. Please prioritise delegation. We have a middle-level professional public service that can deliver if it believes it has a free hand to do the job,” Prof Kibwana says.
Otherwise, he predicts, President Ruto risks losing the 2027 General Election.
“In 2027, prepare yourself for a duel with the Uzalendo spirit of the youth who are bent on detribalising the electoral system and Kenya. If the June 25th Movement gathers momentum – and many in your circles are skeptical about this – you and the traditional political opposition could become fish out of water,” he says.
