Exceptional political tactics that will secure Ruto a second term

President William Ruto is a rare political fox who studies the jungle before making his stealth moves. You can dislike the man, but you cannot deny his mastery of timing and perception. No wonder he defeated President Daniel arap Moi’s preference for Eldoret North MP and later surpassed both Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta combined in the 2022 presidential race. With his political prowess, he single-handedly united Kenya’s big-family politicos into one broad-based political hut. What was once scattered is now assembled. Still, let’s give Ruto his due: he’s no fool in his political manoeuvres.

With his political acumen, Ruto achieved what many thought impossible. He silenced Raila, once hailed as the “people’s general”. He subdued Uhuru, the prince turned former president, who has since retreated into private life. Then Ruto launched his compelling “bottom-up” narrative that captured the nation and shook the online community.

True to his nature, Ruto plays both preacher and hustler. He shifts tones effortlessly—quoting scripture one moment, sharing streetwise humour the next, resonating with boda boda riders and barbershop philosophers alike. While the public grieves Raila, Ruto quietly plans his next strategy, turning sorrow into opportunity. Far from simply absorbing ODM during its period of mourning, Ruto is currently transforming it, reshaping it to serve his vision.

The passionate WANTAM memes from the united opposition reflect genuine feelings, but emotion alone cannot topple a strategist who turns chaos into campaign momentum. The Opposition plays checkers, yet they are armatures, while Ruto plays chess with a third eye. Without structure, unity, and a clear alternative vision beyond mere opposition to Ruto, they will trend on social media, while he trends at the ballot box, closing in on another presidential term.

Love him or hate him, Ruto is a master tactician—one of Kenya’s sharpest political minds. He has methodically outplayed his opponents like chess pieces: Patient, calculating, and always several moves ahead. First, he infiltrated Kanu, the once-powerful Moi party, using it as a springboard to build influence.

Next came URP, his own creation, which merged into Jubilee. There, he bid his time, learned the system, and ultimately outmaneuvered Uhuru himself. After Jubilee collapsed, he formed UDA, which has grown into a political empire ready to claim the presidency and parliamentary majority in 2027.

Look around: ANC’s Musalia Mudavadi, Ford-Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula, Chama Cha Kazi’s Moses Kuria, and even factions of Kanu have been swept up by the UDA wave. These once-prominent parties now survive in name only, their leaders reduced to passengers on Ruto’s political vehicle. Recently, Gideon Moi withdrew from the Baringo senate race against popular opinion.

As ODM mourns Raila, the familiar pattern emerges: “development visits” to Nyanza, conciliatory language reminiscent of the handshake era, and strategic appointments—classic Ruto tactics to disarm opposition by embracing it. Ruto does not crush parties by force; he compels their leaders to dismantle them from within. This is the genius of a man who plays politics with a long-term vision.

As a political analyst, it is clear how skilled orators shape public perception and emotional response. Ruto’s recent speeches exemplify this skill perfectly. He reads his audience, matches their mood, and speaks with such empathy that for a moment recently, he sounded more like ODM than ODM itself. While not all his claims were factual, they were deeply felt—that is where his political genius shines. Like the ancient Greek orator Demosthenes, Ruto shows that powerful leadership begins with mastery of rhetoric. From a political science standpoint, his speeches demonstrated Aristotle’s ethos, pathos, and logos, reflecting Max Weber’s idea of charismatic authority—where influence stems from presence and emotional connection rather than official position. At that moment, Ruto reminded the nation that rhetoric is not just communication; it is the lifeblood of politics and the oldest art of leadership.

In the political game, Ruto didn’t simply remove Gachagua from government—he played him like a pawn. With a single move, he weakened the Gen Z political wave by distracting them and set himself up for a 2027 campaign against an “easy opponent” perceived as a tribal chief. It seems likely Gachagua will be cleared to run, only for Ruto to defeat him again. After all, what better opponent for a chess master than a loud rook constantly moving sideways?

Like football, politics is a game of numbers, tactics, skillful moves, and scoring goals. Ruto embodies the mindset of a top Premier League or Champions League coach, with an insatiable hunger for victory. In this arena, the contest between Haram football and Haram Pro Max styles won’t be penalised but celebrated as the ultimate way to win—elections included.

If the so-called ‘United Opposition’ were an algorithm, then Ruto is a Trojan horse designed to exploit their emotional weaknesses and reprogramme outcomes to his advantage. In the 2027 political contest, it will be a grueling match—compact versus combat, structure against suffering, Ruto’s precision symphony facing the Opposition’s opera of pain. One side controls space with intelligence; the other with raw intensity. One side defends to play; the other plays to defend.

In this battle of tactics and skills, Ruto is poised to retain his seat comfortably.