How Ruto has turned Sifuna into his punching bag: Chicken lifts, ‘empty party’ & alcohol jibes

President William Ruto has turned the political grievances raised by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna into a series of jokes, using the very issues the youthful politician has highlighted to poke fun at him on his development tours which blend 2027 campaigns.

Rather than addressing Sifuna’s concerns, Ruto has opted to add fresh drama to their simmering political rivalry by using Sifuna’s own criticisms to fire back with jokes, sarcasm and carefully crafted jabs that turn the senator’s grievances into moments of political entertainment.

Saturday, October 17, 2026 was no exception as the president toured North Rift and inspected development projects.

Sifuna’s remarks questioning how families raising chickens will survive in the affordable housing scheme was the joke on the president’s lips as he interacted with construction workers at an Affordable Housing project in Nanndi Hills.

Ruto left workers at the site reeling in laughter after reminding them to install lifts for chickens.

“Kitu moja msisahau, muweke lift, ndio tupandishe kuku, ama? Sindio? Msisahau kuweka lift, tumeelewana?” Ruto said, joking with the workers about the need to include lifts for chickens on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

One of the defining moments in Sifuna’s quest to send Ruto home was the unveiling of his political vehicle, The Equitable Party (TEP) on October 4, 2026.

With Sifuna’s State House bid gaining traction and dominating headlines as well as trends on social media, Ruto jumped in to mock the launch in yet another thin-veiled attack.

Sifuna’s presence at a concert celebrating veteran journalist Fred Obachi Machoka also made it to the menu of the president’s salvos during his tour of West Pokot on Wednesday, October 14, 2026

“Mara ya mwisho tulimuona kwa Koffi Olomide. Na meza imejaa. Ile ile pombe kali, ile ya jina mbili mbili. Sijui ni Walker, sijui ni Jack nani, sijui ni John inatembea,” Ruto remarked.

To fund his political activities, Sifuna has been relying on contributions from well-wishers and his own resources, with ordinary Kenyans also contributing to fund the Linda Mwananchi leader.

This approach was the subject of Ruto’s jabs during a tour of Taita Taveta, with the president making remarks about politicians who present themselves as ordinary people when they travel to other parts of the country, but consume expensive liquor in Nairobi.

“Na mimi nataka niwaambie kina mammboga na wafanyibiashara wa hapa. Ninawatahadharisha kuna matapeli, kuna wakora watakuja huku ati wanakuja kuomba pesa yen. Watakuja hapa na bakuli ati muwachangie ato wanatafuta vyeo katika Kenya hii.

“Msikubali kuchangia mtu yeyote. Wale watu wakiwa kule Nairobi wankunywa pombe ile kali ikon a majina mawili…Wakifika huku wanajifanya maskini lakini wakiwa Nairobi, ooh my goodness.

As the battle for political influence intensifies ahead of the 2027 General Election, the president’s remarks have added a new dimension to their war of words, raising questions about whether Ruto is merely entertaining his audiences or cleverly using humour to undermine one of his most vocal critics.