From 'Kazi ni Kazi' to 'Usawa ni sawa': Ruto's new political pitch

On Wednesday last week, in Bondo town, Siaya County, a new political slogan was born: Usawa ni sawa, Mbele Pamoja.

Immediately after presiding over the handover of the Raila Odinga mausoleum, President William Ruto used the slogan during a public rally for the first time.

"Usawa ni sawa ama si sawa? Si usawa ni sawa? For every region to get their fair share of development, that is where we are as broad based. Politics of tribalism and discrimination is a No," Ruto said.

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga became the second leader to use the slogan, offering an explanation of its origins.

"One vision Raila had was that every Kenyan should be equal and today, the broad-based Government has said that Usawa ni sawa," she said.

Drumming up support for the new slogan, Ruto said the country was experiencing a paradigm shift in its politics and that next year’s General Election would be driven by agendas rather than ethnicity.

'In 2022, we voted on the basis of agendas and that was the beginning of changing Kenya's politics but the 2027 election will deal with ethnicity and discrimination once and for all," said Ruto yesterday.

His tour of the North Rift has been dominated by the slogan, with leaders aligned with the broad-based government joining the chorus.

"Our roads are being built in every part of Kenya. Electricity is being connected in every part of Kenya. In education, we have more teachers in every part of Kenya. SHA reaches every part of Kenya," Ruto said yesterday.

At the centre of the administration’s argument are more than 34 stadiums under construction across the country, the affordable housing programme being rolled out in counties, last-mile electricity connections and road projects that the government says previous administrations failed to deliver.

These include the Rironi-Mau Summit road, which has been earmarked for extension to Malaba; the Isiolo-Mandera road; the Lake Victoria Ring Road; and the proposed extension of the Standard Gauge Railway from Narok to Malaba through several counties in Western, Nyanza and the Rift Valley regions.

Beyond the slogan itself, however, questions are mounting over the timing of the apparent change in political messaging, with about 300 days left before the General Election.

Governance analyst Javas Bigambo describes the shift as a rebranding exercise intended to capture the aspirations of Ruto’s broad-based government partners.

"The approach he gave to the 2022 election is not going to be the same as the approach he will use for his re-election. Even organizations have 5-year strategic plans which are reviewed," Bigambo said.

The slogan marks a departure from Kazi ni Kazi, which has been associated with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), towards Usawa ni sawa, Mbele Pamoja.

UDA’s symbol is a wheelbarrow, but  speculation is growing over whether the party will introduce a new symbol as part of a wider rebranding exercise.

Merchandise displayed during Ruto’s stopovers in Baringo featured a two-finger hand signal representing two terms, alongside the words Usawa ni sawa and the UDA wheelbarrow symbol.

Sifuna’s ‘Tusawazishe’ enters the debate

Even as speculation over a possible UDA rebrand continues, similarities between the new slogan and the messaging of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s Equitable Party (TEP) have raised questions.

TEP’s slogan is Tusawazishe.

The party’s founder, Gilbert Shanga, has already reacted to the broad-based government’s new slogan, arguing that Ruto’s record contradicts the principle of equality.

"The Equitable Party" is "Chama Cha Usawa" in Swahili. Even the president agrees this is what the Country needs right now. His new slogan of "Usawa ni Sawa" agrees with us but there is nothing Usawa from his four years in office," he stated on his Facebook page on Tuesday.

Political analyst Martin Andati argues that the President is attempting to appropriate Sifuna’s political identity, particularly amid the war of words between the two.

"Ruto is becoming a copycat. Equalization is the same as tusawazishe and he now wants to run with it. That tells you there is a bankruptcy of ideas from his side," he said.

Bigambo, however, argues that Sifuna’s team has no exclusive claim to the word or the underlying idea.

"Politics is a market place, there is no monopoly of ideas ar slogans. They have not hit the campaign trail to popularize their slogan. Sifuna's slogan is only known to himself, his party and those who've accessed the logo on social media, not in mashinani," Bigambo said.

He also draws a distinction between the two political messages.

"Sifuna's party is talking about equity, Ruto is talking about equality. Those are two different concepts even in law," he said.

The debate comes as analysts question whether Kazi ni Kazi, which was centred on productivity and work, remains an effective message for Ruto’s re-election campaign.

Some argue that the shift to Usawa ni sawa offers a more inclusive theme, targeting regions that have historically felt marginalised in the distribution of development projects and government opportunities.

"It was a lie and that is why he has run away from it. The opportunities and jobs he promised to deliver have not been delivered and so as to avoid a lot of questions, he has come up with another slogan," Andati said.

While inclusivity is being presented as the driving force behind the new slogan, some analysts suggest the messaging could also be aimed at countering perceptions that the Mount Kenya region has been sidelined in the current political arrangement, reviving the divisive '41 versus one' narrative.

"You cannot be left behind when you are ahead. When others are catching up with you, it does not mean that you are being left behind. The President is trying to correct historical injustices," Bigambo said.

Ruto’s allies have blamed previous administrations  for concentrating development projects in some regions while leaving others behind.

UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar has been among those criticising what he describes as historical marginalisation, including under the administration of Kenya’s first President, Jomo Kenyatta.

His remarks earlier this year, during Ruto’s coastal tour, that the Kikuyu community would not get close to power sparked strong opposition from Mount Kenya legislators within his party.

Ruto has demonstrated an ability to build political narratives, from the hustler versus dynasty message that helped propel him to power in 2022 to the new emphasis on equality and shared development.

But whether Usawa ni sawa can command the same political traction remains an open question.

"It will not be easy to sell usawa ni sawa because he has a lot of explaining to do. When you are not an incumbent, you can ride on promises but when you are defending your seat, you have to put your track record on the table," Andati said.

The launch of the new theme in areas perceived to be Ruto’s strongholds has also drawn attention, particularly given its timing around events commemorating the first anniversary of Raila Odinga’s death.

Ruto’s earlier Kazi ni Kazi message helped define his political identity. Whether Usawa ni sawa, Mbele Pamoja can achieve the same impact will depend on how convincingly his administration can link the slogan to its development record and persuade voters that the promise of equal treatment is being realised across the country.