Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has fired back at critics who have been mocking President William Ruto on social media over his mastery of road projects in the country.
Speaking during a stakeholder meeting with Meru County leaders in Karen on Tuesday, February 18, Kindiki expressed his frustration with the online trend that has emerged, ridiculing Ruto’s comments during his recent Northeastern Kenya tour.
In the past week, Kenyans have taken to social media to troll the President, particularly following his speech in the North-Eastern region, where he outlined plans to expand the road network and spur socio-economic transformation in the area.
While speaking from atop his vehicle in the scorching Isiolo sun, Ruto promised that the roads would be vast, connecting the entire region—demonstrating his mastery of the area’s infrastructure needs, though his words sparked widespread mockery online.
“Ndio barabara itoke Mandera, ikuje Ramu, ikuje Garre, ikuje El-Wak, ikuje Kobo, ikuje pale Kotulo, ikuje Tarbat, ipitie hapa Wajir, iende Samatan, iteremke Modogashe, ifike Isiolo, iende Nairobi,” President Ruto said.
Soon after a video of his speech hit the internet, Kenyans created viral memes mocking Ruto’s tendency to impress the masses with his detailed knowledge of rural roads and connecting markets.
Kindiki fires back
However, DP Kindiki while speaking on Tuesday hit back at critics and said that most online users did not know that the road was already under construction.
He further said that contractors were already on site and implementing various sections of the mega project.
“I was with the President the other day in Northern Kenya. I saw people making a lot of fun about the long road that he (Ruto) was explaining. Actually, I was very happy when I saw people trying to mock the President because I have information which they do not have,” he stated.
“That road is going to be constructed and people saying that do not know. This government is going to construct that a road from Isiolo to Mandera in the next two and a half years.”
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Kindiki further said that there are 11 contractors on the ground currently each with a stretch of about 100 Kilometers, adding that some sections are 40% tarmacked.
“Some people are just on their phones and don’t know where Samatan is, don’t know Kotulo, they are just making fun. And you know when 2027 comes, and we go to account we will use that road from Isiolo to Mandera. That’s how you open that part of the country,” he added.
Kenyans have in the recent days used Ruto’s clip to create memes and short videos on social media platforms.
Ruto’s speech turned into viral memes
On TikTok, some creative Kenyans churned out short videos trolling the President’s lyricism – with some videos showing the names of the towns written down on a piece of paper while an instructor takes the viewer step-by-step, as if in a classroom.
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Others even went a step further and created an entire dance based around Ruto’s Isiolo road mastery, with others going as far as printing t-shirts emblazoned with the President’s viral messaging.
The ongoing construction of the multi-billion shillings road project traversing between Isiolo-Modogashe is set to open up the marginalised area and spur economic growth.
In 2020, Kenya secured Ksh81 billion financing from the World Bank for roads and ICT projects in Northeastern region.
The World Bank approved the project and funds to be spent on upgrading a 365km section of the 740km Isiolo-Mandera road as well as 30km of spur roads.
The funds were also meant for laying a fibre optic cable along the corridor under the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project.
Already, the road project has started taking shape.
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