President William Ruto has clapped back at Kenyans mocking him using controversial monikers such as Kasongo and Zakayo.
Addressing the residents of Busia during his development tour in Western Kenya on Friday, January 24, Ruto expressed his awareness of the nicknames adding that he was no longer bothered about them.
While acknowledging the two titles, the Head of State claimed that his critics had resorted to naming him Kasongo because of his incredible intelligence.
According to him, he was no longer bothered by the negative criticism as long as he fulfilled the purpose for which he was elected by Kenyans.
“You know very well that I have surpassed some of these people with intelligence and now they are coming up with names such as Kasongo,” Ruto stated.
“Even if they call me Kasongo or Zakayo, as long as the government is doing its work, I do not have any problem with it,” he added.
His sentiments while embracing his Kasongo moniker lit up the mood of the residents who burst into laughter.
Kenyans, mostly those on social media platforms including X, TikTok and Facebook have been referring to Ruto as Kasongo, a term derived from the now-popular song Kasongo by Super Mazembe.
The song, produced in the mid-70s in which a woman pleads with her estranged husband to return home gained popularity in Kenya between November and January this year, ever since, the term has been used to refer to the president.
It is not the first time the Head of State has commented on the two terms. Barely three weeks ago, Ruto was forced to address Kenyans referring to him as Kasongo.
Speaking at a burial in Bungoma County on January 3, Ruto said he had no problem with Kenyans calling him different kinds of names including Kasongo and Zakayo.
According to him, the song Kasongo, from which the moniker was derived, is a good song and the term Zakayo is similarly good because the country is on a good trajectory due to the healthy tax system.
