Constitutional lawyer Makau Mutua has said President William Ruto would win comfortably if a General Election were held today, arguing that the Head of State has no serious challenger and that his record in office has convinced many Kenyans.
Speaking on Citizen TV’s Sunday Live programme, Mutua said Ruto’s performance in government had strengthened his political standing and made him the clear favourite for re-election.
“If the election was held today, the president would win the election going away. He has worked,” Mutua said.
He argued that Kenyans were capable of assessing the President’s record for themselves.
“Kenyans are not fools. Kenyans can see that the president has worked and is working,” he said.
Mutua added that, in his view, the opposition had failed to produce a credible challenger capable of unseating Ruto.
“This president doesn’t really have an opponent. He has a cast of characters who cannot give themselves a good bath,” he said.
Mutua also explained why he had shifted from being a vocal critic of Ruto to becoming one of his supporters, saying his experience working with the President over the past year had changed his perspective.
According to Mutua, the broad-based government formed by Ruto and the late ODM leader Raila Odinga was created deliberately to stabilise the country following political turbulence experienced in 2024 and 2025.
“This government, which Baba and the President formed, was not formed by accident. It was formed by design. Its purpose was to save this country from the turbulence that took place in 2024 and 2025,” he said.
Mutua further disclosed that he and National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed played a role in the formation of the arrangement.
He said working closely with the President had left him impressed by Ruto’s patriotism, intellect and work ethic.
“I have worked with him now for more than a year. I can tell you that I am impressed, first of all, by his patriotism. I’m impressed by his brilliance. He has a breadth of knowledge and a good mind that impresses me very much,” Mutua said.
The professor also praised Ruto’s record in office, saying he had not seen another Kenyan president achieve as much within a similar period.
“I have not seen a president of this country who has done as much as he has done in only three and a half years. I am truly impressed. And that’s why I support him,” he said.
Mutua added that he believed ODM was likely to continue supporting the President because, in his view, Ruto was implementing several commitments he had discussed with Raila Odinga, including compensation for victims of past injustices and greater inclusivity in government appointments.
He also credited the President for reaching out to communities that he said had previously been excluded from national governance.
“He has gone and appointed individuals from communities that were completely excluded from the governance of this country. He’s reached out broadly and widely to include folks,” Mutua said.
He further praised Ruto’s work ethic, saying he appeared to work exceptionally hard.
“I told him the other day, I don’t know when you sleep, man. You are working so hard. I have never seen a president who works as hard,” Mutua said.
