President Ruto attending Sunday service in Ukambani at the mid of the year.
By Peter Mwibanda
September 14, 2025
NAIROBI, Kenya (IP)
President William Ruto wears his Ph.D. like armor and brandishes his political experience like a sword.
In speeches, rallies and interviews, he reminds Kenyans that he is the most educated head of state the country has ever had a leader who understands the economy, the people and the path forward.
But in the eyes of many Kenyans, Ruto’s academic brilliance has failed to translate into meaningful leadership.
The president may be book-smart but critics say he is politically deaf.
Despite assembling the largest team of presidential advisers in Kenya’s history — all paid for by struggling taxpayers — Ruto is accused of running a one-man show.
He is often described as intolerant to feedback, dismissive of alternative views, and increasingly isolated from the realities on the ground.
“There is no shortage of advisers around him,” one analyst noted. “There’s only a shortage of advice he’s willing to take.”
Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration stormed into office promising a bold economic turnaround through the now-fading “bottom-up” model.
Three years later, Kenyans are still grappling with a crippling cost of living, runaway taxation, ballooning debt and a leadership style that feels more authoritarian than inclusive.
And the public is losing patience — fast.
From matatus in Nairobi to farms in Eldoret, the sentiment is shifting from hope to hostility.
Many voters who once believed Ruto was the answer now feel duped.
Frustrated citizens openly call for early elections, arguing that the current regime has betrayed the very people it vowed to uplift.
“If this is bottom-up, then we’re all stuck at the bottom,” a Nairobi trader said. “We were promised empowerment, not punishment.”
Ruto’s defenders cite global economic headwinds and entrenched systemic challenges.
Critics say that’s a tired excuse — and that Kenyans are tired of being told to tighten their belts while State House expands its budget and bloats its bureaucracy.
As the country inches toward the 2027 general election, the president faces a crossroads.
Will he recalibrate his leadership to reflect the suffering on the ground or continue to rule with academic arrogance and political defiance?
In politics, a Ph.D. means nothing if the people feel abandoned unless Ruto shifts course, he may soon discover that in Kenya’s democracy, it’s not credentials that matter — it’s connection.
About the author:
Peter. Mwibanda is a political commentator, columnist, and contributor to national discourse on governance and accountability in Kenya. He writes from Nairobi. Twitter: @psimix mwibandapeter75@gmail.com
