President William Ruto and his opposition rivals have descended into a surprising exchange over weight, gluttony, and physical fitness as the 2027 campaigns heat up in a never-before-seen fashion.
The President, currently on a high-stakes tour of the Western region, used his platform to issue a blistering rejoinder to his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, and Jubilee’s Fred Matiang’i, following strong remarks directed at the Head of State.
Visibly agitated, President Ruto dismissed the opposition as a "breakfast snack" that lacked the discipline to govern, specifically targeting their physical attributes.
"Go check yourselves in the mirror. Check how you look," the President mocked. "Your head is swollen, and your tummy is almost ripping the shirt apart. Tafuteni gym kwanza muende mfanye exercise kidogo. (Find a gym first and do some exercise)."
He further suggested that his critics’ supposed gluttony was making them a nuisance in public meetings.
Wueh! Today, we have witnessed something very unfortunate. The President of the Republic, the Head of State has stooped so low as to insult and body shame a fellow Kenyan.
And not just any Kenyan, but a man who has remained consistently respectful to him in his public… pic.twitter.com/UXMuSHBbSf — Pauline Njoroge (@paulinenjoroge) March 17, 2026
"Stop eating too much so you can stay awake. You are even polluting the air (ata mnaharibu hewa) while you sleep in meetings! Go away, useless!"
The exchange follows comments by Gachagua, who recently claimed at a rally that the President’s apparent weight loss was a sign of stress.
Are you even sure of what you are talking about? Do you want to go there? Hebu share your comments on this. Seems like this was music to your ears. https://t.co/h90BJbQWeT pic.twitter.com/GErLEzrSI9 — Robert ALAI, HSC (@RobertAlai) March 17, 2026
"Just how much money is enough? Even with all that money, he can’t sleep. Si mmeona amekonda mpaka maskio imekuja juu? (Haven't you seen he has thinned down until his ears are sticking up?)" Gachagua posed to a laughing crowd.
Ruto, however, in another response, framed his physique as a matter of focus rather than fatigue.
"I’m intelligent enough to know when to cut weight so I can concentrate. I’m disciplined enough to know how much to eat so I can stay alert."
Fred Matiang’i to Ruto…
“Unataka tufanye mjadala kuhusu kukula kweli?
Na wewe uko na tumbo lisilo shiba, umekula SHA, mashamba na kila kitu?” pic.twitter.com/M4FrFLXTJc — Pauline Njoroge (@paulinenjoroge) March 17, 2026
The insults, however, did not stop at the Gachagua-Ruto axis.
Former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i, who is Jubilee Party's 2027 flagbearer for the top seat, issued a stinging response to Ruto’s jabs about "eating too much."
"First of all, I don't know why you are bothered by how I eat. I don't eat at your wife's house," a defiant Matiang'i stated. "You haven't seen me looking for food from your wife. I eat in Kisii... if that is what is bothering you, then you have a problem."
While the President's Western visit has been touted as a development tour of the region, social media was in the better part of the afternoon, dominated by raw mockery as supporters of both sides exchanged memes and comments.
The sharp departure from traditional campaign messaging triggered immense reactions from across both political divides.
"The President has the freedom of speech and right of reply! Hii ni siasa not moral lessons buana," defended one on X.
For now, it only remains to be seen which other verbal armoury will be unleashed in the race to the house on the hill.
