Student Leaders Back Ruto, Call on Uhuru to Respect Luo Community’s Political Choice
By Peace Muthoka
Nairobi, September 23,2026 – Student leaders have declared their support for President William Ruto while criticising former President Uhuru Kenyatta over what they described as attempts to influence the political direction of the Luo community following the death of former opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Speaking during a press briefing at the University of Nairobi on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, the leaders said they respected Kenyatta but expected him to recognise their political choices and decision to support President Ruto.
“We respect retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, but he must respect us as a community and a people who supported Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga to his last day on earth,” the student leaders said.
They maintained that the community had moved on from the 2022 General Election and should not be drawn back into political divisions associated with the previous election. The leaders said they had chosen to work with President Ruto rather than support opposition formations they linked to leaders from the GEMA region.
“We have no middle ground and we have moved on from the last general elections,” they said, adding that they had “proudly chosen to support and associate with President William Ruto.”
The student leaders urged members of the community to take a clear political position instead of remaining undecided. They also criticised attempts to revisit the political alliances and decisions made during the 2022 election, arguing that the community should focus on its current interests.
“We don’t want to sit on the fence, and we call on our people not to sit on the fence,” they said.
Referring to Raila Odinga’s political legacy, the leaders said the former opposition chief had consistently taken a position during difficult political moments. They argued that their decision to support President Ruto was consistent with what they described as Raila’s approach to making firm political choices.
The student leaders also questioned the credibility of political formations opposing the President, alleging that some had historically treated the Luo community and the Orange Democratic Movement as subordinate partners.
“The GEMA formation opposing Ruto cannot be trusted,” they said, alleging that the group had failed to deliver meaningful development to the Luo community.
They further criticised political alliances involving leaders such as former presidents Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and former Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i. The leaders urged members of the community to compare the development record of the current administration with those of previous political partnerships.
Turning to development, the student leaders praised President Ruto’s administration, claiming that projects were being implemented across the country. They contrasted this with what they described as limited development outside the Mount Kenya region during Kenyatta’s presidency.
“Under President Ruto, the whole country is a construction site,” they said, expressing support for the President’s development agenda.
However, the leaders did not provide specific project figures or independent evidence to support their comparisons between the administrations.
The student leaders also criticised what they described as Kenyatta’s attempts to position himself as a leader of ODM and the Luo community in the period following Raila Odinga’s death.
“Your efforts to be the leader of ODM and the Luo community in the post-Raila era are not welcome,” they said, addressing the former President.
They questioned why Kenyatta had not joined Raila during campaign activities in the Mount Kenya region, contrasting this with Raila’s support for Kibaki during the 2002 presidential campaign.
The leaders further called on Kenyatta to allow Raila to rest in peace and respect the community’s decision to support President Ruto.
“Let’s allow Baba to rest in peace. Allow us to support President Ruto in peace. We have chosen Ruto confidently and boldly,” they said.
The remarks were made during a briefing organised by student leaders to address concerns over public statements attributed to former President Kenyatta regarding President Ruto. The leaders had earlier indicated that they would clarify their position and call for responsible and respectful public discourse on national leadership and governance.
The views expressed during the briefing represent the political position of the participating student leaders and do not establish that all students at the University of Nairobi or members of the Luo community share the position presented.
