I Warned You About This Hustler, Uhuru Tears Into Ruto in Fiery Address Over Failed Leadership

Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta has launched a blistering attack on President William Ruto, declaring that Kenya is reaping the bitter fruits of electing a populist “hustler” whose promises have collapsed into chaos, broken programmes, and deepening public misery.

In a rare and fiery appearance at the Jubilee Party’s National Delegates Convention (NDC) on Friday, Uhuru accused his successor of dismantling tested social programmes in favour of reckless experiments that have left millions suffering.

“Some of the truths we spoke of yesterday have become the realities of today,” Uhuru thundered. “Today, many of the gains we had in the past have been eroded. Linda Mama and others replaced by new untried, untested schemes, and while we wait for these experiments to work, Kenyans suffer and our progress is retarded.”

The former president, who has largely stayed silent since leaving office, said the 2022 election was hijacked by lies, propaganda and “hustler” theatrics that hoodwinked Kenyans into rejecting issue-based politics.

“In the last general election, I tried to pass this message, but it fell on deaf ears, and it fell on myths of dynasties and so on,” he said. “Now, the very problems we cautioned about are the ones hurting every household.”

Uhuru did not mince his words, dismissing the hustler-versus-dynasty narrative as a cheap trick used to dupe voters. Striking a personal tone, he rejected the “dynasty” label pinned on him by Ruto’s allies.

“This story about a hustler, this is a child of a dynasty. I am a single mother’s child,” Uhuru said. “When you say you were born with… come and tell Kenyans what you will do for them. What are you doing for them? It does not have to be where you were born.”

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta, alongside ex-Interior CS Fred Matiang’i and other Jubilee delegates at the party NDC on September 26, 2025/ HANDOUT

He accused Ruto of weaponising class politics to gain power while offering nothing in return. “Every child, whether you were born in a mud house or not, has a right to lead. What matters is the ability to serve the people,” he said.

The retired president also defended his record, saying his administration invested in unifying the country, tackling inequality, and strengthening social safety nets—initiatives he said are now being reversed.

“We worked to bring greater cohesion in our social construct, to reduce ethnic tension and address both social and regional inequalities,” he said. “This was used against us in the last campaigns and called an attempt to erode democracy. I wonder what they call theirs today.”

Uhuru, who admitted he had chosen silence to avoid being misquoted, said it was time to speak up because the country is sliding into peril under Ruto’s watch.

“These days I don’t talk a lot, they will misquote me. But silence is no longer an option. The country is suffering, and we must rebuild politics of vision, unity and integrity,” he declared.

He urged Jubilee delegates to strengthen the party’s internal structures to resist political manipulation, adding that fresh leadership—especially young leaders with integrity—was needed to chart a new course.

Uhuru’s attack amounts to his most direct confrontation with Ruto since handing over power.

By warning that he “saw it coming” and bluntly telling Kenyans “I warned you about this hustler,” the former president has reignited a political duel that could dominate the road to 2027.