Former Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter says President William Ruto is taking Rift Valley voters for granted, following the president’s recent remarks lamenting low voter registration turnout in his political stronghold.
During the burial of Roads and Transport CS Davis Chirchir’s father in Bomet on Thursday, Ruto expressed disappointment over the low numbers recorded in the Rift Valley in the just concluded IEBC voter registration exercise.
The president revealed he was forced to seek political backing from other regions ahead of the 2027 General Election, as his own backyard had not turned up in large numbers to register as voters.
“You have disappointed me. 1.8 million people with ID cards have not registered as voters. You’re giving me a tough job, seeking support elsewhere,” Ruto said.
He urged local leaders to mobilize eligible citizens to register and strengthen the region’s political voice.
The IEBC voter registration, which concluded on April 30, registered 2.6 million new voters nationwide.
However, Ruto noted that approximately 500,000 eligible young people in the Rift Valley had failed to register, a figure he described as alarming for his political base.
In a clapback on Friday, Keter, a long-time critic of the president, reacted sharply to Ruto’s comments.
He claimed that the president was only turning to his backyard after realizing that things are thick politically.
“William Ruto has always been taking the Kalenjin voters for granted, but he has now realised that things are tough! Wantam Is Wantam! Save Kenyans from the hiked fuel prices first,” Keter wrote.
The former MP who fell out with Ruto further challenged the president to focus on addressing the rising cost of living and the recent surge in fuel prices, before seeking political support or sympathy from Kenyans.
Rift Valley overwhelmingly supported Ruto in the 2022 elections but is now showing signs of voter fatigue and disillusionment ahead of 2027.
