The United Opposition, under the leadership of Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, has delivered a sharp and uncompromising rebuttal to President William Rutoโs State of the Nation Address, accusing the Head of State of presiding over a government that is steadily dismantling democratic safeguards while subjecting Kenyans to economic hardship and political manipulation.
In a solidarity-driven message titled โState of the Nation Address by the United Opposition,โ Kalonzo and other Opposition leaders framed the present political climate as a defining moment in Kenyaโs historyโone marked by the rise of the Gen Z movement, whose peaceful demonstrations last year, they said, were a moral stand against corruption, economic exploitation, and failed leadership. The coalition celebrated these young protesters as the conscience of the nation, noting that they confronted state power with nothing more than phones, water bottles, and the national flag.
According to the Opposition, the Ruto administration has abandoned the spirit of Vision 2030 and replaced it with what they called โbottom-up Rutoism,โ a governance model they argue has delivered despair instead of development. They criticised the mismanagement of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), which they say has left families unable to access essential healthcare, and dismissed the Housing Levy as a fraudulent scheme that serves as a slush fund rather than a genuine public development programme. They further accused the President of running the country like a personal enterpriseโwhat they termed โRutopreneurship.โ
A significant portion of the statement turned its attention to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), whose credibility the Opposition insists remains in doubt. They argued that the appointment of the new commissioners ignored the spirit of consensus envisioned by the National Dialogue Committee, deepening public suspicion that the commission remains vulnerable to Executive influence. They said the IEBC must now demonstrate independence through transparency, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to serve the peopleโnot the regime in power.
The Opposition also raised serious concerns about the ongoing voter registration exercise. They condemned the introduction of mandatory iris-scanning technology without proper public education, saying it has created confusion and a two-tier voter register. They criticised the restrictive registration model that confines the process to constituency offices during weekday working hours, arguing that students, young people, and workers are being locked out of the process. The coalition questioned the opaque manner in which registration kits and personnel have been deployed, warning that loose safeguards and poor communication from IEBC have created opportunities for quiet manipulation long before voting day arrives.
The coalition says this is where elections are often stolenโโin the shadows,โ during registration, when oversight is weakest. They reiterated that the credibility of the upcoming November 27 by-elections, as well as the 2027 General Election, depends on sealing these systemic loopholes.
In their broader critique of the government, the Opposition accused the Ruto administration of turning security agencies into instruments of intimidation, pointing to the heavy deployment of officers in certain by-election hotspots. They further denounced what they described as blatant misuse of state resources by senior public officials actively participating in campaigns, behaviour they said violates the Constitution, the Elections Act, the Public Officers Ethics Act, and multiple leadership and integrity laws. The coalition argued that such conduct fundamentally erodes public trust and undermines the principle of neutrality that should guide all state officers.
In a particularly alarming allegation, the Opposition claimed that government-linked operatives have been instructing voters to photograph their marked ballots in exchange for moneyโan act they described as a brazen attack on Kenyaโs democracy and a violation of the secrecy of the ballot. They urged the IEBC to educate voters on proper conduct within polling stations and to enforce strict penalties against any attempt to coerce or financially influence voter choice. They also warned of the risk of flawed ballot papers and demanded that all candidate details be verified before printing to avoid past irregularities.
Despite these concerns, the Opposition commended the IEBCโs Electoral Code of Conduct Enforcement Committee for taking a firm stance in the Kasipul by-election violence case, where two candidates were penalised for incitement. They said such measures, although isolated, show what is possible when institutions choose integrity over political pressure.
Kalonzo closed the statement with a rallying call for national vigilance, insisting that Kenya stands at a crossroads where democratic renewal is urgently needed. He urged citizens to uphold the Constitution, demand transparency at every stage of the electoral process, and defend the future of the country with courage and moral clarity.
โOur youth have shown us the path,โ he said. โLet us honour their courage, restore dignity to our democracy, and ensure that the will of the peopleโevery voterโremains sacred.โ
