President William Ruto has reiterated that leadership in Kenya must be anchored on accountability, performance, and service delivery not appearances or empty rhetoric or else the incompetent leaders should go home.
Speaking during a public address, the President challenged elected leaders to focus on tangible results, warning that Kenyans are increasingly judging leaders by their track records rather than personal branding.
“Elected leaders must be accountable to Kenyans. No one will elect you based on your looks or because you have beards,” President Ruto said, emphasizing that voters are more interested in what leaders have actually delivered for their communities.
According to the President, politics driven by image, slogans, or personality cults is losing ground to issue-based leadership and measurable impact.
He stressed that Kenyans are more informed and discerning than ever before, and they expect leaders to demonstrate value through development projects, improved services, and responsible stewardship of public resources.
“Kenyans will look at your track record,” he added, noting that performance in office is the ultimate campaign message.
In a blunt warning to underperforming leaders, President Ruto stated in Swahili, “Na kama hakuna kazi mtu amefanya, atembezwe mbiombio aende nyumbani,” loosely translated to mean that leaders who have not delivered should be shown the door and sent home.
The remark drew applause from the audience, reflecting widespread public frustration with leaders perceived to be ineffective or detached from citizens’ needs.
The President’s comments come at a time when economic pressures, cost-of-living concerns, and demands for better governance continue to dominate national discourse.
He argued that leadership is not about titles or visibility but about responsibility and results.
According to him, elected officials must constantly ask themselves what legacy they are building and how their decisions are improving the lives of ordinary Kenyans.
President Ruto also urged leaders at all levels national and county to remain grounded and accessible to the people who elected them.
He called for transparency in the use of public funds and urged leaders to communicate openly about both achievements and challenges.
Accountability, he said, is not optional but a duty that comes with public office.
Political analysts view the President’s remarks as a clear message ahead of future electoral contests: performance will be the key currency.
As Kenyans grapple with pressing socio-economic issues, patience for leaders who fail to deliver appears to be wearing thin.
Ultimately, President Ruto’s message was straightforward leadership is about service.
Those who work diligently for the people have nothing to fear from public scrutiny, but those who fail to deliver should be prepared to face the verdict of the voters.
In his view, Kenyan democracy is maturing, and accountability is no longer just a slogan but an expectation.
