East African Legislative Assembly MP David Ole Sankok has defended former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s continued engagement in national politics, arguing that retirement from the highest office does not require silence.
Speaking on K24’s Politalks programme on 12 November 2026, Sankok said Uhuru remains a Kenyan citizen with full rights, including the freedom to choose and publicly support a political side. He pointed to former US President Barack Obama, who has continued to campaign and speak on public issues after leaving office, as a clear example.
“Obama is a former Head of State, and you have also seen him campaigning. Being a former Head of State does not mean you should remain silent. Whatever is affecting the country will affect him too. So, I don’t see any problem with Uhuru picking a side,” Sankok stated.
He added that national issues affect every citizen, including former leaders and their families and businesses, and that no one should be muted simply because they once occupied State House. Sankok also stressed that the sitting President is the exclusive symbol of national unity and must always uphold that role, even when others misbehave.
The remarks come a day after Uhuru publicly urged opposition leaders—including Rigathi Gachagua, Kalonzo Musyoka and Eugene Wamalwa—to set aside personal ambitions and present a united front ahead of the 2027 general election. Speaking at the funeral of his cousin Beatrice Wambui Muturi in Nairobi on 11 November, Uhuru said Kenyans had already made up their minds and that the only remaining obstacle was opposition disunity.
Sankok’s comments reinforce the view that retired presidents retain the right to participate in political discourse. They also highlight the growing intensity of the 2027 contest, in which Uhuru’s interventions are increasingly shaping opposition conversations while drawing responses from across the political divide.
https://x.com/kenyans/status/2120769725424971827?s=46
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