National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has come out strongly in defence of President William Ruto’s administration, accusing critics of peddling politically motivated narratives while ignoring the government’s notable achievements. Speaking in his home county of Homa Bay, Mbadi said that many of the current administration’s successes, particularly in agriculture and health, have gone unrecognized due to bias and entrenched political divisions.
“Some people say President Ruto’s government must go, yet when asked why, they claim nothing is happening,” Mbadi remarked. “But for a decade before Ruto, there were constant complaints about tea, coffee, sugar, and dairy. Today, you don’t hear about those issues because this administration has tried to fix them.”
Mbadi emphasized that the agriculture sector, once in deep crisis, has seen meaningful recovery under the current leadership. He further highlighted that the government has made unprecedented investments in the health sector, which he described as the highest in Kenya’s history.
The former ODM chairman decried what he termed as “politics of prejudice,” suggesting that some criticism of the President is rooted not in governance concerns, but in identity politics. “There are people who are opposing the President today simply because his name sounds strange. It’s not because negative things are happening in this country that have never happened before,” he stated.
Turning to the political future, Mbadi made a bold proposal for a coalition between the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ahead of the 2027 general elections. Citing the need for national cohesion, he said: “In 2027, UDA and ODM must work together. I have been chairman of ODM for ten years. Looking at the dynamics of politics in this country, we don’t have a choice.”
Mbadi argued that fostering unity should transcend party interests and warned against divisive narratives that imply some Kenyans are more entitled than others. His remarks suggest a significant shift in political alignment and signal a growing push for bipartisan cooperation in a deeply polarized political landscape.
