By Miraj Guo | 14th May 2026
NAIROBI, KENYA — President William Ruto has moved to calm rising political tensions and public concern over the 2027 General Election, assuring Kenyans that the polls will be peaceful, free, and credible.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit, the President said Kenya’s democratic and security institutions are strong enough to guarantee a smooth electoral process without a repeat of past election-related violence.
He noted that the country has already learnt “painful lessons” from previous election cycles and warned that no form of violence will be tolerated during or after the 2027 vote.
Ruto further stated that Kenya’s future will be determined solely at the ballot box, daring those allegedly planning to disrupt the electoral process to abandon unlawful means.
The President also expressed confidence in his political support base, saying his broad-based coalition with opposition leader Raila Odinga has formed a strong alliance that will be difficult for rivals to defeat in the upcoming election.
He framed the emerging political competition as a contest between a development-focused coalition and what he described as opposition forces driven by divisive or “tribal” politics.
Meanwhile, concerns over online misinformation have grown alongside political activity, with fact-checking organisations warning of a digitally manipulated graphic circulating on social media.
According to Africa Check, the fake image falsely attributed inflammatory statements to President Ruto, including fabricated remarks involving ethnic references allegedly published under the branding of a national newspaper.
Authorities have urged the public to disregard the misleading content, warning that such disinformation is designed to inflame ethnic tensions ahead of the 2027 elections.
The government has intensified calls for responsible use of social media as political temperatures continue to rise in the pre-election period.
