President William Ruto has downplayed the use of the 'Must Go' slogan by a section of Kenyans, stating that he is unbothered as long as the country is headed in the right direction.
The Head of State, who spoke during the burial of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's aide, George Oduor, in Ndori, Siaya County, on Saturday afternoon, said he was focused on delivering for Kenyans.
Ruto, while taking a swipe at his critics, stated that he would not be intimidated, adding that he was proud of the country's progress, particularly in education and other critical sectors.
According to him, negative criticism was part of leadership and that it was not the first time a Kenyan leader was facing such backlash from members of the public.
Comparatively, Ruto noted that such a slogan was also used against his predecessors, including the country's second President, Daniel Moi, when he was at the helm of power.
"Criticism is normal. Now you are saying 'Ruto Must Go.' I have heard that several times. There was 'Moi Must Go,' and other subsequent leaders were also told they must go. 'Must Go' is just a normal song. There is no problem about it," Ruto commented.
He added, "So there is no problem. They have been calling me Kasongo or Zakayo. I am not bothered because I am focused. We must get our education right, and we must handle devolution in the right way."
Ruto further noted that he would continue uniting the country despite the criticism. During the burial ceremony, the president called on Kenyans to unite for the sake of the nation's progress.
'Ruto Must Go,' a slogan that emerged during the youth-led anti-government protests that rocked the country in June and July last year, has significantly turned into a normal phrase among Kenyans, currently used in both political and non-political rallies.
The term has occasionally been used on various platforms as a rallying call against President Ruto's administration to oppose his current governance style.
The slogan which now threatens Ruto's extended stay in power has similarly received a backlash from a section of senior government officials including the Director General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) Noordin Haji and the Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF) Charles Kahariri.
Kahariri, on March 27, warned Kenyans engaging in the 'Ruto Must Go' chants to ensure that they do so constitutionally, noting that any attempts to transfer power must be made through acceptable means.
"We cannot exercise anarchy, and even as people exercise their rights, it should be within their bounds, within their rights, such that we cannot allow ourselves to exercise our rights to the extent of tearing apart the country," Kahariri stated.
