President William Ruto has said he personally sought out his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta in an attempt to involve him in shaping a broader national vision for Kenya.
Ruto said he visited Uhuru at his Ichaweri home and later at his office, urging him, as a former Head of State, to help bring former leaders together and develop a vision that could be passed on to future generations.
“I went out of my way. I looked for him. I went and saw him first in Ichaweri. I also came and saw him in his office here,” Ruto said in a wide-ranging interview with the media.
The President said he asked Uhuru to play a statesman’s role in helping forge a new national direction, but the former President was reluctant to participate.
“He was reluctant, you know, and he said he wasn't sure he wanted to do that,” Ruto said.
Ruto said he also discussed the idea with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who he said was receptive to involving former national leaders in developing a long-term vision for Kenya.
“I told him, you see, we are now the elders, we are the leaders of this nation. Why don't we work together, grow a bigger vision for Kenya that then we can hand over to the next generation of leaders?” he said.
The President said his efforts to engage Uhuru did not produce the outcome he had hoped for, accusing his predecessor of choosing to remain active in opposition politics instead of taking on a statesman’s role.
“My predecessor had an option to become a statesman and rise above politics and become a unifying factor in a country. But he chose to climb down and become an opposition leader,” Ruto said.
His remarks came after Uhuru on Sunday rejected claims that he was interfering in Kenyan politics by backing opposition proxies, saying he had no interest in seeking any political position.
“And people should not say that what I am saying means I am getting involved in politics. I have no interest in any seat. Do we understand each other?” he said.
Kenyatta also appeared to address suggestions that he was positioning himself as a power broker in the emerging 2027 contest.
“Please, please, be careful—I do not want to be called a sponsor. I do not want all these things. The choice belongs to Kenyans,” he said.
His remarks come as political alignments ahead of the 2027 election intensify, with President William Ruto and other government leaders accusing the former president of backing opposition figures.
Ruto recently referred to Kenyatta as a sponsor of opposition leaders, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.