Even as President William Ruto launched the much-touted Nyota programme in North Eastern with fanfare, the politics displayed at the event stood in sharp contrast to the gnawing hunger and desperation gripping families beyond the rally grounds. 

Emaciated livestock, dry water pans, and families surviving on a single meal a day formed the unspoken backdrop to an event that promised transformation, yet offered little immediate relief to communities desperate for food and water.

Speaking at the event in Garissa High School yesterday, President Ruto went bare-knuckled against the opposition, throwing jibes at his former ally-turned foe, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, and accusing him of being an idler. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpwW7Nvwwlo

He fired at the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader, accusing him of criticising his administration without solutions, and challenged him to present concrete plans to address Kenyans’ plight if he is dissatisfied with his visit to the region. 

“You are an idler. You have no meaningful job to do. You don’t dare to lecture me,” Ruto appeared to tell off Gachagua without mentioning his name. 

“Don’t argue with a fool. People might know the difference. We have an agenda and programme for this nation, we are going to rewrite the wrong history that was written before and correct historical injustice,” said Ruto.

He appeared to be directly responding to Gachagua, who on Tuesday accused the Head of State of inaction on the humanitarian crisis in the Northern Kenya region that is ravaged by drought and hunger, demanding that the President prioritise emergency relief, including food and water to the communities during his tour. 

“I want President Ruto to think about the people in the North Eastern Kenya who are affected by hunger. Declare the drought a national disaster to unlock funding.  As you head to Wajir, you must tell the people why you lied to them,” he added, arguing that the Nyota initiative risks becoming another public relations stunt detached from realities on the ground,” Gachagua told President Ruto. 

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki also used his time in Garissa to question Gachagua’s moral authority to criticise the government on drought mitigation. 

“Let him stop bringing politics into matters of drought because they do not understand anything about drought. They should look for something else to politicise,” Kindiki said.

“He was in government the other day. What has changed now? This government is focused on solving Kenyans’ problems one by one, step by step, under President William Ruto’s leadership,” he added.

Duale declared the former DP a persona non grata, accusing him of being an extortionist and a crook interested in promoting tribalism, even as he said that a line had been drawn between the DCP leader and the community. 

“You started the conversation about cousins. We are not your cousins. So how can you address us?” Duale said, visibly angered. I challenge you to appear with me in a TV interview to address development projects in Northern Kenya,” added Duale

 He promised that his community will “stand with Ruto even if he hasn’t built roads or given us anything.” “He has given us our dignity, making us equal to other Kenyans.”

The event, attended by the County Governor Nathif Jama, MPs Dekow Mohamed (Garissa Township), Abdi Ali Abdi (Ijara), and Mohamed Abdikadir (Lagdera), Senator Abdul Haji, among other leaders, also saw notable county leaders skip it. 

Fafi MP and UDA legislator Salah Farah, who was conspicuously absent, accused President Ruto of failing to fulfil his promises, saying such events showed a disconnect from the crisis at hand. 

He cited what he terms a “lack of government commitment” in fulfilling key development promises made to the people. His boycott signals growing discontent within sections of UDA’s grassroots leadership in the region.

At one point, he publicly floated the controversial idea of extending the presidential term limit from five to seven years — a proposal widely interpreted as political loyalty taken to the extreme.

His absence from such a high-profile presidential event therefore marks a sharp political shift — from ardent loyalist to a lawmaker openly expressing frustration.

Whether this is a temporary protest or the beginning of a deeper political fallout within UDA ranks in Garissa, however, remains to be seen.

Ruto said the Nyota programme “is corruption fee. It is not about patronage, it is a programme that is accountable and transparent and one that does not leave any young Kenyan behind.”