Ogola to Ruto: You were hired through vote, you can’t lecture your employers

Governance expert Fred Ogola has criticised President William Ruto’s recent remarks where he declared enough is enough in response to ongoing protests and dissent, saying the President has forgotten that he is merely an employee of the Kenyan people.

Speaking during an interview with a local TV station on Thursday, July 10, 2025, Ogola said it is not the place of the president to tell citizens that they have crossed a line, because power in a democracy flows from the people.

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“So when he says ‘enough is enough,’ it is already enough for the citizens. In fact, between the employer and the employee, who should say the words ‘enough is enough’? Ruto is Kenyans’ employee.”

According to him, only the electorate, the employers, have the authority to declare when they have had enough, not the person they voted into office.

He argued that the frustrations of Kenyans are already overwhelming, and that the president’s response should not be rooted in emotion but in service.

“He was employed when we voted for him, and now he cannot turn around and tell us — the employers — that enough is enough,” Ogola stated, adding that Ruto, as a public servant, must recognise that he was hired through the vote and therefore cannot now lecture the electorate.

Political miscalculation

Ogola went further to link Ruto’s emotional tone to political miscalculations, especially around the push for dialogue.

He noted that when Raila Odinga recently proposed an intergenerational conclave as a forum for national healing and discourse, public reaction was widely negative.

He said Kenyans have grown tired of endless dialogue meetings, which are increasingly seen as opportunities to create government positions and increase spending, rather than solve real problems.

“Coming back to the issue of conversations, just go back to the statement by Raila Odinga — that we need to have this intergenerational conclave. What did Kenyans say?”

According to Ogola, intelligence reports likely indicated to Ruto that the public no longer trusts dialogue processes, especially those perceived as elite-driven or power-sharing schemes.

He added that Kenyans quickly dismissed Raila’s call for talks, with many interpreting it as a veiled attempt to secure a role in government.

Ogola claimed the first public reaction to Odinga’s statement was a cynical question: “Which position do you want in government?”

“They said they do not want any more discussions about dialogue. And I think that is what the intelligence briefed the President: that he is losing the public,” he added.

Ogola also said that the entire conversation around dialogue has lost credibility, as it has come to symbolise political haggling, expansion of government, and misuse of taxpayers’ money.

Ogola noted that allocations to key offices have ballooned, especially funding directed towards the Office of the President, suggesting that the country now has “two presidents”.

He pointed out that Raila Odinga’s security and public treatment closely mirror those of a sitting head of state, adding further pressure on public funds.

“So dialogue has come to symbolise nothing more than the search for positions, bargaining for power, and expanding government unnecessarily. That is why we have more taxpayers’ money being used — for example, the funding for the State House has gone up. We are now operating like we have two presidents — Raila Odinga and William Ruto. Raila’s security even looks presidential, and those expenses are there. So when Kenyans say it will be a conclave, it is because they see through the games. They do not want political deals; they want accountability.”