President William Ruto caused laughter at State House, Nairobi, after joking about being referred to as “Kasongo” by International Leadership University (ILU) Chancellor Professor Kivutha Kibwana.
The Head of State made the remarks on Thursday while awarding a Charter to the International Leadership University, recognising the institution's status as a fully chartered university.
While acknowledging members of the university's leadership, Ruto said he was familiar with the team, including the chairperson of the ILU Council, Justice Musinga, and the institution's third Chancellor, Professor John Michael Kivutha Kibwana.
“Sometimes in other fora, he calls me Kasongo,” Ruto said, referring to Kibwana, sparking laughter among those attending the ceremony.
“That is the nature of our society,” the President added.
Kibwana was installed as the university's third Chancellor in August 2026 at its Kitengela campus.
The former Makueni Governor is a distinguished lawyer and academic who served two terms as county chief between 2013 and 2022. He has also served as a professor of law at Daystar University and held various academic positions.
The President's remarks referenced the nickname “Kasongo”, which has increasingly featured in political exchanges between him and his critics, particularly opposition leaders.
The name is borrowed from the popular Congolese rhumba song Kasongo by Super Mazembe, which gained renewed popularity in Kenya in 2025 after social media users adopted it to mock the President.
The song's lyrics revolve around a woman pleading with her estranged husband, Kasongo, to return home, with critics using the tune and its lyrics as political satire directed at Ruto.
Opposition politicians have since incorporated the nickname into their political rallies and public addresses while criticising the President's leadership and government policies.
Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa is among those who have publicly used the name, alongside former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has repeatedly invoked it during political engagements.
Ruto has previously acknowledged the nickname in public, at times turning it into a subject of humour while responding to his critics.
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