“Judge Me If You Want”: Mt Kenya Politician Openly Declares As He Loathes Ruto

A prominent Mt. Kenya politician and lawyer, Ndegwa Njiru, has publicly rejected a social media campaign by supporters of President William Ruto urging Kenyans to declare love for the head of state, intensifying political friction as the country gears up for the 2027 general elections.

In a sharply worded post on social media platform X, Njiru, a known critic of the president, dismissed the campaign as a moral imposition and defended his right to dissent.

“Will I be judged, condemned and vilified if I were to state the otherwise? That I loathe and abhor William Ruto? Is there any moral obligation placed upon me to love him?” Njiru wrote.

The hashtag campaign, promoted by pro-government figures in recent days, calls on citizens to express affection and loyalty to President Ruto. 

Njiru argued that such demands blur the lines between political support and personal conscience, asserting that criticism of a leader should not be equated with hatred.

“There is no moral obligation that mandates me to love the president, and I should not be vilified or castigated for it,” he added.

The exchange comes amid heightened political temperatures in Kenya, with opposition coalitions ramping up criticism of the Ruto administration’s policies and openly opposing his re-election bid. 

President Ruto has repeatedly accused the opposition of lacking a substantive agenda for the country.

Political analysts note that Njiru’s remarks reflect a broader trend of polarized discourse, where expressions of loyalty are increasingly used as political tools.

“We’re seeing a dangerous narrative where support is framed in emotional terms—love versus hate—rather than policy debates,” said Dr. Lynette Mwende, a political commentator based in Nairobi. “This undermines democratic accountability and fuels division.”