- President Ruto struck a notably warmer tone towards Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka during a visit to Ukambani
- Ruto made the remarks while commissioning a KSh1.7 billion water project set to serve Machakos County residents
- The comments come after months of sharp exchanges between the two leaders ahead of the 2027 General Election
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President William Ruto adopted a strikingly conciliatory tone towards Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka on Saturday, describing the opposition chief as "my friend" during a public address in Mbiuni, Machakos County.
Source: Twitter
Ruto was in Ukambani on October 24 to commission the Mwala Cluster Water Supply Project, a KSh1.7 billion initiative jointly funded by the Kenyan government and the African Development Bank.
The occasion appeared to set the stage for an unexpected shift in how he spoke about Kalonzo, who is widely seen as the region's dominant political figure.
The president referenced recent comments by Kalonzo, in which the Wiper leader had suggested that God was working through Ruto to deliver roads and other infrastructure.
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Rather than pushing back, Ruto embraced the sentiment and extended it to include both of them.
"I thank my friend Kalonzo for acknowledging that God is using me. But you should know that there are two people in Kenya whom God is using: Kalonzo and myself," Ruto told the crowd.
He went on to outline what he saw as each man's distinct role, drawing a division between building projects and publicising them.
"God uses me to build roads, to bring water, and to organize medical services; meanwhile, God uses Kalonzo to help me spread the word, to announce that a road has been built or that water has arrived. I don't see anything wrong with that," he said.
Ruto also took the opportunity to contrast Kalonzo favourably with unnamed opposition figures, praising him for acknowledging government work.
"At least Kalonzo is honest; when work has been done, he acknowledges it, saying, 'Look, it has been done.' As for the others, even if you were to build a road right to their very doorstep, they would still claim there is no road. They are the ultimate liars," he said.
The warmth was notable given the two leaders' recent history. Ruto has previously questioned Kalonzo's record across four decades in public life, spanning roles as an MP, Cabinet minister and vice president, and accused him of failing to develop his native area.
Kalonzo, for his part, has said Ruto is racing to complete projects across the country purely to court voters ahead of 2027, when Kalonzo has declared his intention to seek the presidency.
The water project at the centre of Saturday's event is designed to serve residents across Mwala, Makutano, Masii, Kabaa and Mbiuni. It includes a 105-kilometre main pipeline carrying treated water through several towns in the county, as well as storage tanks at Muthei in Masii Ward.
Machakos County estimates it will benefit more than 100,000 residents, while the Tanathi Water Works Development Agency puts the figure closer to 270,000.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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