OPINION: Ruto should ask himself why Kenyans are wishing him death

Tonight, my thoughts are with the missing youth, abducted and likely being tortured mercilessly, simply for using AI tools to create fake images of our president depicted as a dead man.

Admittedly, it is a tactless and foolish act, one that should not be encouraged, as human decency demands better.

However, it is not a crime worthy of such intense attention from the authorities. Kenya is neither a dictatorship nor a banana republic where the head of state is an untouchable figure. Our constitution affords us certain immunities.

Even during the worst times of Uhuru Kenyatta's regime, I do not recall anyone wishing him dead. Aside from jokes about his alleged alcoholism and perceived incompetence, there were no calls for harm or death against him. When social media became too toxic for him, he simply logged off until he left office.

So, what has William Ruto done to offend and annoy everyone so much?  I have never seen a leader attract so much animosity in such a short time.

People dislike him, not because he is Kalenjin, but because of his glaring dishonesty and hollow promises, which even the most uneducated can see through. People despise him for that and much more.

He pledged to end abductions and torture and promised no disappearances would happen under his watch. Yet, this year alone, we have witnessed broad daylight shootings, arrests, and constitutional violations. Bodies have been discovered, and children were killed during protests. No parent can love a man who shows such callousness toward the lives of their children.

Ruto has consistently done the opposite of what he promised during his campaign. He has enrolled and bankrolled dynasties in his eating, he is mortgaging the country to foreign interests and excusing terrible things being done to us, all the while insulting and abusing our intelligence.

There is nothing redeeming about him. Nothing. Not a single thing.

He has been a bad leader from the start. At no point in his political career can one point to Ruto doing anything truly commendable or acting in the public's best interest. His charisma deceived many.

Three years ago, I warned that if Ruto became president and you were aged between 25 and 35, you could consider yourself a lost generation. You would never accumulate enough wealth to secure your family’s future.

When young people start circulating images of you as a dead man, you must pause and reflect on the source of their hatred. It is narcissistic to dismiss their cries as tribalism.

Many adults fail to grasp the significance of the Gen Z protests. We have nearly a million graduates—brilliant, talented individuals—who are either unemployed, underutilised, or grossly underpaid. Meanwhile, the government’s best effort has been to send them to the Middle East for menial jobs, celebrating this as an achievement.

The anger among these young people has been grossly underestimated, and it seems even the National Intelligence Service (NIS) is failing in its duty to inform the president of the dire situation. If these youths take to the streets again—and they will—they will be unstoppable. This time, there will be no saviours for Ruto, as Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta have joined him in dragging the country down one last time.

Ruto had one primary task: to turn the economy around and make it work for the majority, not just a few. He was supposed to improve healthcare, education, and infrastructure—tasks that are far from impossible.

No one wants to see him atop cars spreading hollow rhetoric. His speeches are uninspired, repetitive, and devoid of credibility. His cabinet is equally incompetent and unfit to lead.

Two years is enough to judge the competence of a leader, and sadly, Kenyans are now broke, hungry, and demoralised. Even this Christmas feels devoid of cheer.

This is why some might wish him ill—not out of malice, but from a place of powerlessness, believing that only his absence could end their suffering under his regime.

He is undoubtedly a loving father and likely a good friend to many. Were it not for his dishonesty and incompetence, he might even be someone I could share a cup of tea with.

But he cannot run a country. That is the undeniable truth.

No amount of propaganda from his supporters can mask this reality. Until he changes his ways, people will continue to wish him ill, not because they are hateful, but because they are desperate for change.