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United opposition leaders have warned President William Ruto Kenya is drifting toward a crisis, accusing his government of sheltering goons, suppressing dissent and plotting to steal the 2027 General Election.
Jubilee Party deputy leader Fred Matiang’i, led the charge during a church service at Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) Utawala in Nairobi, flanked by Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc-Kenya’s Martha Karua and Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K)’s Eugene Wamalwa.
The remarks come amid a sustained wave of anti-government protests that have gripped Kenya since June 2024, when youth-led demonstrators stormed parliament over tax hikes and governance failures.
At least 60 people were killed by security forces during weeks of unrest that year. A second wave of protests on the first anniversary of that storming, in June 2025, left at least 19 people dead in a single day, with thousands of businesses looted and destroyed as the government banned live television coverage.
Police have since been repeatedly accused of complicity as goons attacked government critics or openly sided with attackers — a pattern evident during the 2024 and 2025 protests and last year’s by-elections.
“I was the Interior CS and understood the security sector very well. Let me say this openly, Mr President, you have once again misread the mood of the country,” said Matiang’i.
The former Interior Cabinet Secretary said the government appeared either ignorant or indifferent to what citizens feel.
“When you are in that office there is sentiment analysis, data from the ground. I don’t understand if they don’t know or if they don’t care,” he said.
He alleged that members of parliament were ambushed at Kisumu International Airport by hired thugs operating with the knowledge of regional police commanders.
Opposition figures have accused authorities of allowing goons to barricade the airport and alleged that airlines shared travel details with the Interior ministry, exposing opposition politicians to danger.
“The regional police in the region cannot say he wasn’t aware of their presence,” noted Matiang’i.
Matiang’i accused the government of deflecting after the 2024 protests without addressing their demands.
“Nobody, even the government, has been coherent enough and saying this is what the Gen Z were raising and the solutions we have provided. He fooled the public with a cabinet reshuffle and things went back,” he noted.
Warning of an escalating confrontation between citizens and security forces, he called on the government to engage the public rather than repress dissent.
“When you see the anger and resistance and pain we saw yesterday, the security should be worried that people are determined to face the teargas and bullets and make a point. Do the right thing, go down and listen to people,” added Matiang’i.
He then issued a blunt warning ahead of the 2027 General Election. “I guarded the exams in this country and it was not stolen. You will not steal our votes,” he said.
Musyoka condemned what he described as a country run by cartels and said public frustration had reached a revolutionary pitch.
“We are a country led by cartels; the mood is revolutionary. Kenyans cannot wait,” he noted.
He raised alarm over the procurement of Smartmatic election technology and called for open recruitment of new commissioners to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The Smartmatic controversy has deepened in recent months after a former Venezuelan military intelligence chief claimed in a letter to United States President Donald Trump that Smartmatic served as a tool for the Venezuelan regime to retain power and that its system could be altered to change electoral results.
The United Opposition has formally presented demands to the IEBC, including cutting ties with Smartmatic, citing concerns over the security and credibility of electronic voting and results transmission.
Smartmatic has denied the claims, saying it stopped operating in Venezuela in 2017 and follows international standards.
“Smartmatic has brought disputes across the world. We will not agree to that,” said Musyoka.
Wamalwa decried the use of teargas on worshippers and the killing of civilians.
“This senseless loss of lives and use of excessive force by police and unholy allowance of goons is a total violation of our constitution,” he said.
Karua urged the government to return to the rule of law. “What we are witnessing is because we don’t mind the rule of law manifesting impunity. We want the law to be followed to the letter so that order can return to the country,” noted.
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United opposition leaders have warned President William Ruto Kenya is
drifting toward a crisis
, accusing his government of sheltering goons, suppressing dissent and plotting to steal the 2027 General Election.
Jubilee Party deputy leader Fred Matiang’i, led the charge during a church service at Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) Utawala in Nairobi, flanked by Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc-Kenya’s Martha Karua and Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K)’s Eugene Wamalwa.
The remarks come amid a sustained wave of anti-government protests that have gripped Kenya since June 2024, when youth-led demonstrators stormed parliament over tax hikes and governance failures.
At least 60 people were killed by security forces during weeks of unrest that year. A second wave of protests on the first anniversary of that storming, in June 2025, left at least 19 people dead in a single day, with thousands of businesses looted and destroyed as the government banned live television coverage.
Police have since been repeatedly accused of complicity as goons attacked government critics or openly sided with attackers — a pattern evident during the 2024 and 2025 protests and last year’s by-elections.
“I was the Interior CS and understood the security sector very well. Let me say this openly, Mr President, you have once again misread the mood of the country,” said Matiang’i.
The former Interior Cabinet Secretary said the government appeared either ignorant or indifferent to what citizens feel.
“When you are in that office there is sentiment analysis, data from the ground. I don’t understand if they don’t know or if they don’t care,” he said.
He alleged that members of parliament were ambushed at Kisumu International Airport by
hired thugs operating
with the knowledge of regional police commanders.
Opposition figures have accused authorities of allowing goons to barricade the airport and alleged that airlines shared travel details with the Interior ministry, exposing opposition politicians to danger.
“The regional police in the region cannot say he wasn’t aware of their presence,” noted Matiang’i.
Matiang’i accused the government of deflecting after the 2024 protests without addressing their demands.
“Nobody, even the government, has been coherent enough and saying this is what the Gen Z were raising and the solutions we have provided. He fooled the public with a cabinet reshuffle and things went back,” he noted.
Warning of an escalating confrontation between citizens and security forces, he called on the government to engage the public rather than repress dissent.
“When you see the anger and resistance and pain we saw yesterday, the security should be worried that people are determined to face the teargas and bullets and make a point. Do the right thing, go down and listen to people,” added Matiang’i.
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He then issued a blunt warning ahead of the 2027 General Election. “I guarded the exams in this country and it was not stolen. You will not steal our votes,” he said.
Musyoka condemned what he described as a country run by cartels and said public frustration had reached a revolutionary pitch.
“We are a country led by cartels; the mood is revolutionary. Kenyans cannot wait,” he noted.
He raised alarm over the procurement of Smartmatic election technology and called for
open recruitment
of new commissioners to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The Smartmatic controversy has deepened in recent months after a former Venezuelan military intelligence chief claimed in a letter to United States President Donald Trump that Smartmatic served as a tool for the Venezuelan regime to retain power and that its system could be altered to change electoral results.
The United Opposition has formally presented demands to the IEBC, including cutting ties with Smartmatic, citing concerns over the security and credibility of electronic voting and results transmission.
Smartmatic has denied the claims, saying it stopped operating in Venezuela in 2017 and follows international standards.
“Smartmatic has brought disputes across the world. We will not agree to that,” said Musyoka.
Wamalwa decried the use of teargas on worshippers and the killing of civilians.
“This senseless loss of lives and use of excessive force by
police and unholy allowance of goons
is a total violation of our constitution,” he said.
Karua urged the government to return to the rule of law. “What we are witnessing is because we don’t mind the rule of law manifesting impunity. We want the law to be followed to the letter so that order can return to the country,” noted.
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By Mike Kihaki