President William Ruto has subtly expressed his unease regarding the burgeoning trend among Kenyans to bestow upon him a plethora of nicknames, urging citizens to exercise restraint in this burgeoning practice.
Speaking during the fourth day of his Nairobi tour in Lang’ata Constituency on Thursday, March 13, 2025, the Head of State conveyed his apprehension that this habit could escalate uncontrollably, noting that Kenyans have been unrelenting in their penchant for assigning him various monikers.
In a light-hearted yet earnest appeal, President Ruto recounted the evolution of these sobriquets, highlighting how they have transitioned from Hustler to Survivor, then to Zakayo, and more recently to Kasongo.
“Wacha niwaulize Nairobi Lang’ata, sasa nyinyi si mtaniua na majina. Sasa mimi nataka niwaulize, mlianza huko mkasema Hustler, alafu mkasema Survivor, alafu kaenda Zakayo. Sasa mmefika Kasongo.”
Loosely translated to:
(Let me ask you, Nairobi Lang’ata, won’t you overwhelm me with these names? You started by calling me ‘hustler,’ then ‘survivor,’ then ‘Zakayo.’ Now you’ve reached ‘Kasongo.’)
He playfully inquired of the crowd how many more such appellations they intended to confer upon him, expressing a blend of amusement and concern over the seemingly endless proliferation of these nicknames.
“Sasa mtaongeza hii majina mpaka ifike ngapi? Bado mtaongeza ingine ama hiyo imetosha? Aki nyinyi mko na maneno. Sasa mnataka hii majina yangu ikuwe ngapi? Sasa ikuwe kumi? Sasa nitaongeza yote, sijui nani. Lakini sawa tu. Ama mnasema aje?”
Loosely translated to:
(How many more names will you add? Will you continue until they are ten? Who knows what will come next? But it’s alright. What do you say?)
Raila as a unifier
During the occasion, the Head of State went on to insist on how crucial his pact with Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila is, saying it was a sign that Kenya was going to be unified at the end and that ethnic divisions were going to see the door.
Speaking particularly at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Southlands Lang’ata affordable housing project on Thursday, 13 March 2025, Ruto hailed Raila as a patriotic Kenyan, saying he has yet to encounter a Kenyan leader as patriotic as the former Prime Minister.
According to him, the nation is in a dire situation, and what is needed to keep it on track is the unity of patriotic leaders from all factions of government, whose precedent had already been set by Raila Odinga.
“And I must thank the Right Honourable Raila Odinga for being the most patriotic citizen and leader of our country, accepting to work together with us so that we can have one united nation called Kenya and so that we can be together because no community is a visitor in Kenya.”
Ruto further emphasised that since signing the Memorandum of Understanding, he has been engaging the opposition leader in numerous discussions, primarily focusing on uniting the country and ensuring no Kenyan is marginalised due to their ethnic identity.
He asserted that, as president, he would spearhead unity and inclusion efforts nationwide and engage all leaders, regardless of their political affiliations, provided they were patriotic.
In his words, all people in Kenya are one nation, bound together by a shared destiny, and he will rally all politicians to promote inclusion to realise these efforts.
“I have spoken with Baba, and we have agreed that no community is a stranger in Kenya, and no community is a refugee in Kenya. No community needs permission to be Kenyan. We are all here together by God’s plan. And I, as the leader of our nation, say that this Kenya and this government are sufficient for all communities.
“It is not necessary for one community to leave for another to enter. That is why I am saying that I am going to engage all patriotic leaders and all patriotic Kenyans so we can work together. All communities are in the Republic of Kenya, and as leaders, it is our responsibility to work together for the unity of Kenyans and for Kenyans because we are one people with a common destiny. I love you all very much.”
