Kitui Central MP Hon. Dr. Makali Mulu has come out strongly in defence of Wiper Patriotic Front leader Dr. Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka following remarks by President William Ruto regarding road infrastructure in Kalonzo’s home area of Tseikuru.

The war of words began after President Ruto, speaking during a Sunday church service in Kiambu County last week, accused Kalonzo of pessimism and questioned his authority to criticise the government’s development agenda. The President claimed that despite decades in leadership, Kalonzo had failed to deliver meaningful development, citing the absence of a tarmacked road to his rural home.

On Monday, Kalonzo responded during a public engagement, asking the President to refrain from dragging his name into political debates during public forums. He faulted Ruto for using a church service to attack him instead of focusing on worship. “Ruto was in Kiambu, yet instead of worshipping, he chose to talk about me and my home area, claiming there are no roads,” Kalonzo said. “He also said I have been in leadership for 50 years. Let me correct him, it is 40 years.”

The former Vice President defended his record, saying his four decades in public service were marked by tangible achievements, including major infrastructure projects in Kitui and the wider region. He noted that during his tenure as Vice President, he oversaw the launch of the Kibwezi–Kitui–Mbondoni road project and facilitated the engagement of Chinese contractor Sinohydro to undertake the works.

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However, President Ruto fired back on Tuesday while officiating the laying of the foundation stone for a students’ hostel at Turkana University. He dismissed Kalonzo’s claims, insisting that the Kibwezi–Kitui–Mbondoni road was initiated during the 2013–2017 period when he served as Deputy President under former President Uhuru Kenyatta. “Kalonzo says he launched the road from Kibwezi to Bondoni. That is misleading Kenyans. That road was built by Uhuru Kenyatta and myself. We have the facts and the evidence,” Ruto said, maintaining that Kalonzo had little to show for his long political career.

The President also repeated his earlier jibe, arguing that a leader who cannot deliver a road to his own home cannot be trusted to deliver development to the rest of the country, “If you can’t build a road to your own home in 40 years, how long will it take you to build roads for other Kenyans, 100 years, or even 1,000?” Ruto posed.

In response, Dr. Makali Mulu strongly rejected the President’s assertions, pointing out that Kalonzo has never been President and therefore cannot be held personally responsible for government development projects. “I heard President Ruto say Kalonzo has been in leadership for 40 years and has never tarmacked a road to his rural home in Tseikuru. I want to ask: are roads built by individuals or by the government?” Makali posed.

The Kitui Central MP praised Kalonzo as an honest and selfless leader, noting that had he ever ascended to the presidency, he would have ensured the construction of the Tseikuru road and many others across the country. He accused President Ruto of favouring his home region with development projects while neglecting others, despite all Kenyans paying taxes equally. “I want to tell President Ruto to stop attacking Kalonzo Musyoka. If he truly cares about the Kamba people, that road should already be built. He should focus on his own agenda and stop making Kalonzo the subject wherever he goes,” Makali said.

Dr. Makali Mulu made these remarks while leading the distribution of bursaries to more than 2,000 students at Kwa Ukungu in Kyangwithya East Ward, Kitui Central Constituency. The event marked part of an ongoing week-long bursary distribution exercise across all five wards of the constituency.

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