KENYA · POLITICS
Key Facts
- —What is happening On Friday 23 October 2026, Kanu party leader Gideon Moi told Kalenjin elders at his Kabarak home that President William Ruto has not kept promises made when Moi quit the Baringo Senate race.
- —Why it matters The open rift between two powerful political families comes a year after their truce and before Kenya’s 2027 general election, so it may reshape alliances in the Rift Valley.
- —The numbers Moi withdrew before the Baringo by-election of Thursday 27 November 2025, the elders came from 10 counties, and no money amounts are involved in this dispute.
- —Who is who Moi chairs Kanu, Kenya’s former ruling party; Ruto leads the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), and UDA member Vincent Chemitei won the vacant Baringo Senate seat.
- —What to watch Moi has not said what he will do next, and no reply from Ruto or State House to his Kabarak remarks had been found by Saturday 24 October.
- —What it means for you For US readers, this is a gauge of political stability in Kenya ahead of 2027, but no sanction, policy change or market move has followed.
Kenyan party leader Gideon Moi says he is still waiting for promises from President William Ruto. They date from the day he left the Baringo Senate race.
Gideon Moi, who leads Kenya’s Kanu party, said on Friday 23 October 2026 that President William Ruto has not kept his promises. The Gideon Moi Ruto dispute is the first open split since their truce of October 2025.
Moi spoke to elders at his home in Kabarak, Nakuru County, and said he is still waiting for what he was promised. He had stepped out of the Baringo Senate by-election after Ruto asked him to.
In Plain English
- —Kanu The Kenya African National Union, the former ruling party, which Moi leads.
- —UDA The United Democratic Alliance, President Ruto’s ruling party.
- —Baringo A county in Kenya’s Rift Valley, where the by-election for a Senate seat was held.
- —Kalenjin A large community in the Rift Valley, whose elders Moi addressed.
What Moi Told Kalenjin Elders at Kabarak
Moi spoke in Kalenjin to elders and representatives of Kalenjin sub-tribes in Nakuru County. The Standard says the delegation came from 10 counties, including Nandi, Uasin Gishu, Bomet and Baringo.
Because he spoke in Kalenjin, the English quotes here are the outlets’ translations and differ in wording. The Star quotes him: “He told me, let us be patient, so I waited, waited and still waiting up to now.”
The Standard renders the same remark as “I was told to wait, I waited, and I am still waiting to date.” Citizen Digital quotes him: “I asked for specific things for the people of Baringo that I had not accomplished.”
Moi called the dispute “pedestrian talk” and, in the Star’s words, told the President: “Honour what you promised.” Citizen Digital alone adds that he said relations began to sour after the death of former prime minister Raila Odinga.
Moi also said he holds no grudge. “I do not have anything evil against President William Ruto,” he said, according to the Standard.
He apologised to Baringo residents for leaving the race. “To the people of Baringo, I ask for forgiveness,” he said, as quoted by the Standard.
Did Moi Say Ruto Betrayed Him?
The Standard headlined its report “He has betrayed me”. The quotes in its article text do not contain that word, and neither do those in the Star or Citizen Digital.
So this article reports what Moi is quoted as saying: that promises were not kept. It does not put the word “betrayed” in his mouth.
The Gideon Moi Ruto Deal of October 2025
Moi, a former Baringo senator, was due to file his nomination papers on Thursday 9 October 2025. He did not appear, after meeting Ruto at State House in Nairobi the day before, the Star reported in October 2025.
Ruto visited Moi’s Kabarak home on Friday 10 October 2025 and said he had approached Moi himself. “I looked for Gideon because national cohesion is bigger than our differences,” the Standard quotes him.
On Tuesday 28 October 2025, Ruto said he had asked Moi to step aside. “I asked him respectfully, and in turn, he respected me,” the President said, according to the Star.
Ruto also urged Kanu to formalise a partnership with UDA. “So that you can be a part of the government of Kenya,” he told Kanu supporters, the Standard reports.
The Standard lists promises it ties to the deal: finishing stalled Baringo roads and dams, a stadium in Kabarnet and a university. It adds a role for Kanu in government and says delivery is far from materialising.
The by-election took place on Thursday 27 November 2025, and Vincent Chemitei of Ruto’s UDA won the seat. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) gazetted the winners on 1 December, Capital FM reported.
The seat fell vacant when Senator William Cheptumo died in February 2025, the Star says. Moi says he stepped away from active politics after the 2022 elections, the Standard reports.
Ruto’s Earlier Words and the Standard Group Row
No reply from Ruto or State House to the 23 October remarks was found in the Star, the Standard or Citizen Digital. Any response will be added when it is on the record.
Moi rejected claims that coverage by the Standard Group is used to target Ruto. The Star describes the group as family owned, while Moi says it has other shareholders.
Citizen Digital notes that Ruto earlier accused Moi of sponsoring opposition activity through newspaper headlines. It quotes the President in Swahili, roughly: without those Standard headlines about Gideon Moi, you would be nowhere.
Moi answered: “Do I look like a journalist, that I am writing the headlines at night?” Citizen Digital says only that Ruto made it months earlier, without a date.
What It Means for US Readers
Kenya votes in 2027, and Moi says the Kanu truce with Ruto has delivered little to his community. The row shows how fragile the alliances around the President can be.
No sanction, trade step or market move follows from Moi’s remarks. The reports describe a meeting of elders and mention no disturbance.
Travellers and investors should read this as party politics, not a security event. The next test is whether Moi leaves the arrangement with the ruling party.
What Is Not Known
Ruto’s response is not known. Moi has not said what decision he will take, only that a time would come to decide.
The exact terms of the 2025 deal are not published. Moi names roads, dams and jobs for Baringo professionals, while the Standard adds a stadium, a university and a role for Kanu.
The State House meeting date differs: the Standard and the Star’s October 2025 report point to Wednesday 8 October 2025. The Star’s 2026 report says 9 October.
It is not established whether Kanu and UDA ever signed a formal partnership. Vote counts for the by-election also differ between outlets, so none is given here.
The newsroom could not open two Nation analyses of the rift because the site blocks automated access. Nothing in this article relies on them.
What Comes Next
Moi asked supporters for prayer and for room to make decisions about his community and family name. He has set no date for any decision.
Watch for a reply from Ruto or UDA and for any Kanu party meeting. The remarks do not mean Moi has left the deal or joined the opposition, and he said he wishes Ruto well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gideon Moi?
He leads Kanu, Kenya’s former ruling party, and is a former Baringo senator. He is a son of the late President Daniel arap Moi.
What did Gideon Moi say about Ruto?
On 23 October 2026 he said he was told to wait for promised commitments and is still waiting. He also said he holds nothing evil against the President.
Did Moi say Ruto betrayed him?
The Standard headlined its report that way, but the quotes in the article text do not use the word. This article reports only the quoted remarks.
What was the Baringo by-election deal?
In October 2025, Moi withdrew from the Senate race after meeting Ruto. UDA’s Vincent Chemitei then won the seat on 27 November 2025.
Has Ruto responded?
No reply from Ruto or State House to the 23 October remarks was found in the outlets read. Ruto earlier accused Moi of sponsoring hostile headlines, as Citizen Digital notes.
Connected coverage: read the background in Why the Moi and Ruto feud matters. See also Who Runs Kenya in 2026, Religion in Kenya and the Kenya coverage hub.
Sources: The Star, 23 October 2026; The Standard, 24 October 2026 (report); The Standard, 24 October 2026 (analysis); Citizen Digital, 23 October 2026; The Star, 10 October 2025; The Star, 4 October 2025; The Star, 28 October 2025; Capital FM, 28 November 2025; Capital FM, 1 December 2025 (all accessed 24 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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