Kenyatta Denies Backing Opposition As Ruto Feud Intensifies Ahead Of 2027 Vote

Nairobi, August 24, 2026 - Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta denied allegations that he is supporting the opposition against President William Ruto, as a long-running rivalry between the two leaders sharpened ahead of Kenya's 2027 elections.

Kenyatta made the remarks in Kitale at a memorial service for Michael Kijana Wamalwa, Kenya's eighth vice president. He said he has no plans to return to politics after a decade in power and insisted Kenyans alone will decide who leads the country in 2027.

President Ruto and his allies have accused Kenyatta of exploiting ethnic divisions and seeking to destabilize the current administration. Ruto has also criticized Kenyatta's legacy on affordable housing, universal health care and education.

The feud traces back to the 2018 agreement between Kenyatta and Raila Odinga, which Ruto's camp saw as an effort to sideline him. Kenyatta backed Odinga in 2022, but Ruto won with 50.5 percent of the vote.

For Rwanda and the wider East African Community, political turbulence in Kenya matters because Nairobi remains a major trade, diplomatic and regional security partner.