President William Ruto’s allies, led by his aide Farouk Kibet, have urged
Kenyans to shun destructive protests, saying they are doing more harm than good
to the country.
This follows recent demonstrations in Nairobi
calling for justice after the murder of teacher and social media influencer
Albert Ojwang.
Farouk, while reacting to the demos on Saturday,
asked Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to remain firm and protect the country’s
capital from hooliganism.
He, however, asked security agencies to expedite
the probe into Ojwang’s death, saying such tragedies should never occur on
Kenyan soil.
“Nairobi is our capital city; we will not allow
it to go down the drain. We will not allow that. There is no way destructive
protests will be allowed to leave businesspersons with losses,” Farouk said.
“We ask you, Governor Johnson Sakaja, to stand firm and resist attempts to cause chaos in Nairobi City.”
Farouk spoke at Kamagut, Turbo, Uasin Gishu
County during a women empowerment event.
Governor Sakaja was the chief guest.
Sakaja, Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii, MPs
Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu), Johanna Ng’eno (Emurua Dikirr), Didmus Barasa
(Kimilili), Nabii Nabwera, and John Bwire were present.
Ichung’wah echoed similar remarks by Farouk,
saying the country must be protected from destruction.
While calling for justice for Ojwang,
Ichung’wah maintained that it should not be used to cause anarchy.
“The capital city of Nairobi is a reflection
of who we are. We cannot make Nairobi look like the chaotic cities that some of
our neighbours harbour. We urge Sakaja to protect the City of Nairobi from
destruction. We will give you the support you need to actualise that,” he said.
“You can protest, but do so peacefully. Don’t use death to create chaos.”
Sakaja, on his part, addressed the recent
killing of Ojwang, describing it as a tragedy, but emphasised that the response
must not descend into lawlessness.
“The killing of Ojwang is very unfortunate. He
was a friend and occasionally worked with us in the media team. I have
committed to helping his family — I will cover all burial expenses, offer his
widow a job, and build rental houses for his father,” Sakaja reiterated.
While affirming his personal support for the
grieving family, Sakaja issued a stern warning to those exploiting the tragedy
as a pretext for destruction.
“Even if we are angry, let’s not destroy our property. If we must demonstrate, let us do so peacefully. The next time anyone tries to destroy infrastructure, burn cars, steal from businesses, or cause chaos,” he warned.
The City Governor also lauded Ruto’s
administration and called on citizens to move beyond ethnic politics and focus
on nation-building.
“When we say ‘two terms,’ we are not talking
about politics — we mean two terms of real work done, not just for the sake of
holding office,” said Sakaja.
The Governor highlighted several flagship
initiatives already underway under President Ruto’s leadership, including the
rollout of the Social Health Insurance (SHA) and the Affordable Housing
Programme, which he said are changing lives across the country.
“We have SHA in place, affordable houses are underway — these are not promises, they are happening,” he noted.
Governor Sakaja also pointed to major
infrastructure projects such as the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Road, which is
expected to significantly boost regional trade and ease transportation.
On the succession race, Farouk said the Rift
Valley region will support Western Kenya as a show of gratitude for the support
accorded to President Ruto.
“Our neighbours from Western Kenya, I want to
tell you that, God willing, once President William Ruto’s term ends in 2032, we
will return the favour in equal measure,” he said.
He also endorsed Sakaja, who was the chief
guest at the event, for re-election in 2027, saying he has done a good job for
the people of Nairobi.
“Sakaja
deserves a second term in office. His development record can be seen, and we
would like him to continue serving Kenyans well,” he said.
