Ruto Says UDA Open to Working With Other Parties Ahead of 2027 Polls

By : Mweru Mbugua 

President William Ruto has said the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is committed to fostering cooperation with other political parties to build a strong, inclusive political movement ahead of the 2027 General Election

Speaking at Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri on Saturday, where he hosted more than 17,000 newly elected UDA grassroots leaders from Nyeri County, President Ruto said the broad-based government had enabled Kenyans to work together for the common good

The President noted that national unity is key to addressing one of Kenya’s long-standing challenges—equitable sharing of national resources. He emphasised that development does not require one group to lose for another to gain

“For a long time, the bigger challenge in Kenya has been sharing the small cake we have. We now have a strategy to bake a bigger cake for everybody to share,” President Ruto said

He said Kenya requires bold and visionary leadership, political collaboration and unity of purpose to achieve its ambition of becoming a first-world economy. According to the President, strong national political parties are essential to sustaining the country’s development agenda beyond a single election cycle or individual leadership

“A political party is the most important instrument in ensuring continuity and consolidating the transformation of our nation,” he said

President Ruto urged Kenyans to reject divisive politics rooted in hatred, violence and tribalism, saying such practices undermine national development

“Leadership, politics and development are achieved through humility, patience, hard work and unity,” he added

He reaffirmed his commitment to uniting the country and said his administration has made significant progress in stabilising the economy, reforming agriculture, healthcare and education, and creating millions of jobs over the past three years

Looking ahead, the President outlined major infrastructure projects underway, including the construction of 30,000 kilometres of roads 2,500 kilometres of which will be dual carriageways—the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway from Naivasha to Kisumu and onward to the Uganda border, and the modernisation of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

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Other flagship projects cited include the Bomas International Convention Centre and the Talanta Stadium

On party matters, President Ruto, who is also the UDA party leader, said he will continue engaging grassroots leaders in all counties and called on officials to strengthen party structures at the local level. He said UDA will conduct ward, constituency, county and national elections to further entrench internal democracy

The President noted that UDA has grown into a formidable political force, with about 580,000 polling centre officials elected nationwide and 2.4 million members participating in last week’s grassroots elections

Focusing on development in Nyeri County, President Ruto said the government has allocated Ksh4 billion for road construction. He added that Mau Mau roads, which were 20 per cent complete when he took office in 2022, have now reached between 60 and 70 per cent completion and are expected to be finished later this year

He further said Nyeri County has received Ksh21 billion for affordable housing, markets and hostels, Ksh1.4 billion to expand electricity connectivity and an additional Ksh4 billion for road works

“No project will stall in Nyeri County under my watch,” President Ruto said

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wa said the Mt Kenya region supports UDA because it is a national party committed to unity and inclusive development

Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire praised women leaders within UDA, noting that women accounted for 36.5 per cent of elected officials in the recent grassroots elections