Student Leaders Back Ruto for 2027, Take Aim at Uhuru and ‘Linda Sponyo’ Camp

By Evans Mutinda

A group of student and youth leaders has declared its support for President William Ruto’s re-election bid, warning retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and the emerging opposition grouping associated with the “Linda Sponyo” slogan against what they described as attempts to reopen old political wounds.
The leaders, drawn from universities and youth organisations, said they had chosen to work with President Ruto and would mobilise young people behind his administration ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi, student leader Solomon Munyota said the group respected former President Kenyatta but rejected what he described as attempts to revive the political divisions surrounding the 2022 presidential election.
“We respect retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, but he must respect us as a community and people who supported Right Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga to his last day on earth,” Munyota said.

He said the student leaders had decided to support President Ruto rather than join what they described as the “Linda Sponyo” opposition camp associated with former President Kenyatta and other opposition figures.
“We don’t want to sit on the fence, and we call upon our people not to sit on the fence. We also don’t want to be dragged back to 2022,” Munyota said.

The leaders repeatedly chanted “Ruto two-term” during the briefing, citing programmes and projects they said had benefited young people, including the Higher Education Funding model, the Social Health Authority (SHA), affordable housing and infrastructure development.
Munyota said the group would mobilise young people to support Ruto for a second term, arguing that continuity was necessary for government programmes to continue.
“For the new funding model to continue working, we must give William Samuel Ruto two terms,” he said.
He similarly cited affordable housing, roads and other government projects as reasons for supporting the President.

Another student leader, Grace , criticised what she called efforts by the “Linda Sponyo” camp to influence young people, saying youths should focus on development rather than political divisions.
“We are not going to be divided because of the interests of the political class,” Grace said.She urged former President Kenyatta to allow President Ruto to concentrate on running the government.
“Let him give our President maximum time and peace so that he can go around the country and work for us,” she said.

The political message was also echoed by Paul Ojing of the ODM Youth League, who claimed that the emerging opposition formation associated with the Gema community could not be trusted by the Luo community.
Ojing said the group should not use the legacy of Raila Odinga to rally support for a new political alliance.
He disputed claims that the Gema community had overwhelmingly supported Raila in the 2022 election, saying the Luo community had demonstrated stronger electoral support for the former opposition leader.

Ojing further said the youth leaders would remain in the broad-based government and support President Ruto.
“We are in broad-based government with all our body fast, and we are not going anywhere if not for President William Ruto,” he said.
Other speakers accused the former President and his allies of reopening wounds following Raila Odinga’s death.
Ben Goziri, who identified himself as a youth leader, called on Mr Kenyatta to stop what he termed “dancing on Baba’s grave”, urging political leaders to allow Raila to rest in peace.
Another student leader, Omondi, warned the “Linda Sponyo” group against attempting to mobilise the youth against President Ruto.
“The community has spoken to the Linda Sponyo and the entire brigade. We are behind President William Ruto,” Omondi said.

The speakers also pointed to government programmes in education, healthcare, infrastructure and youth affairs as reasons for backing Ruto.
Pascal Odhiambo, a youth leader from Siaya County, said the group had seen what he described as development under the Ruto administration and would continue supporting the President.
Joel, identified as the National Youth Council chair for Suba South, also backed Ruto’s second-term bid, citing government projects in the region.

The student leaders’ declaration adds a fresh youth mobilisation dimension to the increasingly active political realignments ahead of the 2027 General Election, with competing camps seeking to consolidate support among young voters.