- KANU chairman Gideon Moi broke months of silence over the collapse of his political truce with President William Ruto
- Moi addressed KANU officials and opinion leaders at his Kabarak home, citing unfulfilled promises and what he described as unnecessary provocation
- The KANU chairman signalled he will chart a different political path from Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election
KANU chairman Gideon Moi has spoken for the first time over his failed political truce with President William Ruto, apologising to residents of Baringo County for stepping aside in last year's Senate by-election.
The Standard reports that Gideon seemed to regret placing trust in promises made by Ruto, speaking at length about the breakdown of their short-lived political reconciliation.
Gideon addressed KANU officials and opinion leaders at his Kabarak home in Nakuru on Friday, October 23, detailing a catalogue of grievances he said had accumulated over the past year, including broken commitments, personal insults, the abduction of a staff member, and the forceful occupation of property belonging to his family.
The By-Election Withdrawal
The former Baringo senator made a significant political concession on October 9, 2025, withdrawing from the race to reclaim the Senate seat he had held between 2013 and 2022 before losing it to UDA's William Cheptumo in 2022.
His exit paved the way for the ruling United Democratic Alliance candidate to win the November 27 by-election uncontested by his main rival.
The withdrawal followed two meetings between the pair; one at State House, Nairobi, and another at Kabarak on October 10, which many observers interpreted as a formal end to years of political rivalry between the two leaders, with some quarters predicting the KANU chairman's entry into Ruto's regime in a ranking position.
Truce Collapses Over Standard Group Row
The reconciliation unravelled by mid-2026, triggered by a public dispute over the Standard Group.
On June 24, Ruto posted on X, accusing the media house of using negative coverage to apply pressure on his administration and naming Moi as the group's owner.
"Blackmail to yield to your greed? Never," the president wrote.
Days later, Ruto escalated his criticism, accusing Gideon of sustaining what he described as "extortion gangsterism driven by greed" through "unpaid labour slaving."
The Standard Group denied the blackmail claims and stated that the government owed it KSh 1.2 billion.
Gideon, who did not respond publicly at the time, told those gathered at Kabarak on Friday that Ruto was using the media house's editorial independence as a pretext to attack him personally, and clarified that the Moi family are not the only shareholders in the Standard Group.
He also raised concerns about what he described as the forceful occupation of a five-acre family-owned plot in Eldoret.
Armed police officers reportedly moved onto the land, which the Moi family has held title to since 1996, without serving an eviction notice, according to the family's lawyer.
He indicated he intends to take a political direction independent of Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election, though he stopped short of disclosing which party or alliance he plans to align with, or whether he intends to contest an elective seat.
Source: TUKO.co.ke