Ruto's playbook for shifting focus from grievances hurting Kenyans

President William Ruto has been accused of using the “flooding the zone” political strategy to cause confusion among Kenyans and the opposition so as to easily pave the way for contentious programmes such as the Finance Bill 2026 and the fuel hikes.

Some of the distractions that have been introduced at the height of a national crises include the ethnic remarks by the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Hassan Omar targeting former President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Kikuyu community at the height of the fuel hikes crisis.

The remarks became a national agenda and overshadowed the protests that had started taking shape, the protests died a natural death but Omar became the subject of a national political discourse.

The death of gospel artiste Racheal Wandeto was another classic example that was used to divert public attention from the fuel hike debate.

Then came the Finance Bill 2026 that contained controversial proposals such as the introduction of 16 per cent Value Added Tax on digital payment processing fees, increment of excise duty on mobile phones from import 10 per cent to 25 and the introduction of new tax measures on imported second-hand clothing.

While the government has been carrying out public participation exercises in counties, a national political discourse has been directed to the establishment of an Ebola quarantine and isolation centre in Laikipia which has been given the limelight and attention by the civil rights groups, media and the opposition leaders.

Critics maintain that the government is using the flooding-the-done strategy by using the high-profile political distractions to ram through legislation that increases the financial burden on everyday Kenyans.

The strategy involves issuing controversial statements and directives to overwhelm the opposition and the media, to create confusion.

Charles Mwangi, a governance analyst and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) Don, says the strategy is inherently antidemocratic and deliberately aims to exploit one of the crucial vulnerabilities of a democratic public, such as limited attention capacity.

“The strategy involves overwhelming the media and political opponents by creating an overload of information and controversy such that both the opposition and the general public lose focus and concentration, as well as the ability to clearly discern what’s going on. The result is exhaustion, fatigue, and inadequate or non-existent political responses,” Dr Mwangi noted.

According to Mwangi, a political system, which is made up of ordinary people, has a limited ability to pay attention to and process information about all the issues it faces, which informs some governments to use the flooding the zone strategy.

 Other incidents where the government may have introduced distractions including rigging claims by Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula and Hamisi MP Charles Gimose which ignited political uproar and renewed fears over the integrity of the 2027 General Election.

Savula cited neighbouring Uganda and Tanzania, where incumbents Yoweri Museveni and Samia Suluhu secured fresh terms after polling 72 per cent and 98 per cent respectively.

“It is we, the government, paying Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the commissioners. Ruto is the owner of the budget that supports IEBC. Do you think he can lose the election?,” posed Savula.

They further suggested that President Ruto’s victory was guaranteed at 100 per cent. 

“I want you, as UDA delegates, when you go to the polling stations in 2027, make sure you do some fixing for Ruto. I have served in Parliament for three terms and I know how these things are done,” Gimose said.

The leaders’ remarks triggered a backlash from opposition leaders, religious groups, civil society voices and the IEBC, who warned that such statements risk eroding public confidence in the electoral body long before campaigns officially begin.

Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi has that the Kenya Kwanza administration has opted for divisive political rhetoric and controversies as strategic diversions to deflect attention from the harsh economic policies and punitive tax measures embedded within the Finance Bill 2026.

“This government has no other option other than lighting so many fires so that Kenyans can be divided. The country is now on the Finance Bill while the budget reading is slated for Thursday next week. The government has decided to distract the attention of Kenyans to avert scrutiny of the bill and to avert protests, Saba Saba and June 2024 commemoration of the youth who were killed by this administration,” Muturi noted.

On her part, Muthoni Nyaga ,a political analyst, noted: “The distraction by Ruto’s government aims to stop us from discussing Finance Bill.

‘‘They will kill, maim, burn, increase fuel prices, peddle ethnic hate in pursuit of the Finance Bill passage.”

According to political analyst Herman Manyora, the government had outsmarted the opposition by ensuring that they are running for the wrong script.

““If UDA is succeeding in weakening opposition to its agenda, that is its achievement. If the party is smart enough to distract its critics by creating multiple narratives and controversies, then it has been effective. Many of the issues that have dominated public discourse in recent months are merely narratives that have diverted our attention from more important matters,” he noted.

On his part, Martin Oloo, a governance specialist, said UDA understands that politics is all about strategy and it is informed by propaganda.

“If the thinking can happen in such a way that there is an important motion going on and you reduce attention, it is a good move, people are gullible, they go for the rat that comes out from a burning house rather than deal with the fire. Whether it is a coincidence or not, he is working for the government,” he said.

He added, “Politics and propaganda go hand in hand, politics and deception go hand in hand, the opposition doesn’t need to do match, but the government needs to explain more and they are using tactics to avoid that route.”