State House faults 'The Economist' over editorial on Kenya's authoritarian drift

The Kenyan government has issued a strong response to a scathing editorial by The Economist, which accused President William Ruto of backtracking on his promises, embracing authoritarian tactics, and steering the country into a dangerous direction ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The article, titled "William Ruto is taking Kenya to a dangerous place" and published on July 3, criticised Ruto’s governance style, citing rising corruption, economic frustrations, and a violent response to public protests as key signs of democratic backsliding.

The editorial went as far as suggesting that Ruto should not seek a second term, warning that another five years under his rule could worsen the situation.

In particular, The Economist referenced the mass demonstrations on June 25, which it noted led to the loss of lives, disrupted business operations, including temporary shutdowns by global companies, and further stained Ruto’s public image.

It also described the President’s reputation as “tainted” and expressed doubt that meaningful reforms could be expected if he were re-elected.

In a firm rebuttal shared by State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed - and later published by The Economist, the government questioned the publication’s authority to dictate Kenya’s electoral direction.

“What do you mean by saying President Ruto’s image is 'tainted' and he should not seek re-election? Shouldn’t the voters, not The Economist, make that decision at the next election?” Mohamed posed.

He defended the President’s record, stating that Ruto’s administration is focused on bold and necessary reforms to reshape Kenya’s future. Mohamed pointed to economic progress under Ruto, including a drop in inflation, strengthening of the local currency, and signs of renewed investor confidence.

“Since August 2022, Kenya has recorded an average annual GDP growth rate of five per cent, outperforming the global average of 3.3 per cent and the regional average of 3.8 per cent. Inflation, which stood at 9.6 per cent in October 2022, fell sharply to 3.8 per cent by May 2025, well below the Central Bank of Kenya’s five per cent target, bringing relief to millions of households,” he said.

On foreign investment, Mohamed dismissed claims of companies exiting the country and instead pointed to recent announcements by international firms planning to establish or expand operations in Kenya.

He named BUPA Global, Africa Speciality Risk, Lloyd’s, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development as some of the organisations that had confirmed plans to set up their Africa offices in Nairobi.

Mohamed also addressed concerns around the government’s handling of recent protests, acknowledging that demonstrations had taken place but stressing that some turned violent, resulting in the destruction of private property and attacks on police stations.

“The right to protest must not infringe on the rights of others. In any functioning democracy, that is always a difficult balance to strike,” he stated.

Despite the pressure, Ruto has made it clear that he will run for re-election in 2027. Speaking confidently about his record, the President said his performance speaks for itself and argued that his rivals have nothing to offer Kenyans.

He particularly took a swipe at his former Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, saying he lacked a proper agenda that would convince the electorate to vote for him.