Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) party leader Eugene Wamalwa has urged President William Ruto to apologize to the Kamba community following remarks where he referred to Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka as a “ndengu farmer” during his recent tour of Northern Kenya.
The controversy stems from an ongoing dispute over the government’s livestock vaccination program.
In November 2024, Kalonzo raised concerns about the initiative, suggesting it harboured hidden agendas that could harm pastoral communities.
“The proposed vaccination project has all the markings of a sinister foreign agenda. It does not augur well for the pastoralist groups and this nation as a whole,” Kalonzo had stated during a press conference, urging farmers to resist the program.
President Ruto, during his February 4-7, 2025 tour of Northern Kenya, dismissed these criticisms, questioning Kalonzo’s expertise on livestock matters.
“Sasa wewe mtu ya Garissa nataka nikuulize, wewe unaenda kumskiza mtu ya kupanda ndengu ati anakuambia usichanje ngombe yako. Yeye hana ng’ombe, wewe utafuata iyo maneno ya mtu kama huyo? Na wewe umekuwa ukichanja ngombe yako hii miaka yote na mtu akuje hapa na kiswahili na kingereza anakuambia ati usichanje ngombe yako ati kuna mtu mwengine anaitwa Bill Gates. Bill Gates ako hapa Garissa?” Ruto said on February 6, 2025.
“How would you listen to a person who is not a herder, does not own livestock, and only farms green gram who comes here in Garissa to tell you that you do not have to vaccinate your cattle because of someone called Bill Gates? Is Bill Gates in Garissa?”
Dangerous politics
Speaking at the burial of Daniel Kimanzi Muanga in Kitui County on February 8, 2025, Wamalwa described Ruto’s comments as dangerous politics.
“During their four-day tour of Northern Kenya, we have heard them referring to the Kamba community as ‘wale watu wa ndengu.’ When you start profiling communities and calling them names, you begin to divide the country. This kind of politics is dangerous and could destroy our nation,” Wamalwa warned.
He reminded the president of his constitutional obligations under Article 131, which emphasizes national unity.
“The President has an ultimate duty to ensure we promote national unity and avoid any language that can divide our country along tribal lines. For the remarks made in Northern Kenya, Ruto owes the Kamba nation an apology,” Wamwalwa said.
Defending the diversity of Ukambani’s agricultural activities, Wamalwa challenged the President’s narrative.
“Mimi nikitembea hapa nikiangalia nyuma nimeona iko ndizi, naona iko maembe, nimeona mahindi, na hata nikipita kwa Kalonzo leo nimeona ng’ombe sikuona ndengu pekee yake. Sasa akisema huyu Kalonzo ni mtu wa ndengu hajui mambo ya ng’ombe na asituambie juu ya mambo ya ng’ombe, the late Mambo Mbotela angemuuliza ‘Jee huu ni ungwana?’ Ni ungwana kweli jamani?” he said.
(Walking around here, I’ve seen bananas, mangoes, and maize. Even when I visited Kalonzo today, I saw cattle, not just green grams. When he claims Kalonzo is just a green gram farmer who knows nothing about cattle, as the late Mambo Mbotela would ask, ‘Jee huu ni ungwana?”
The DAP-K leader suggested the President’s remarks were retaliatory after Kalonzo criticized the livestock vaccination program.
“He said this because Kalonzo Musyoka spoke the truth about the cattle vaccination. If Ruto doesn’t know that there are cattle in Ukambani, let him be informed—there are cattle in Ukambani, and he should not disrespect the community,” he said.
Wamalwa further defended the academic credentials of Ukambani leaders, taking a swipe at recent controversies surrounding the president’s academic qualifications.
“The Kamba people are hardworking farmers, pastoralists, businesspeople, and scholars. When it comes to PhDs, we have some of the best PhD holders from Ukambani. The person who taught me law at the university was Professor Kivutha Kibwana, who has a genuine PhD, unlike Ruto’s,” Wamalwa said.
“Therefore, Ruto should respect communities. As we say, ‘Heshima si utumwa’,” Wamalwa concluded.
Ruto’s call
The vaccination program, which aims to eliminate livestock diseases including foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), has become a point of political contention.
President Ruto has consistently defended it, urging critics to leave the discussion to experts.
“Honestly, how else can you explain? Maybe they don’t have cattle; they don’t understand what this is all about. So if you are used to planting things and you don’t know about livestock, please, when we are having a conversation about livestock, shut up!” Ruto had stated in December 2024.
