Uhuru Kenyatta sparks laughter with ‘sponyo’ joke in apparent swipe at President Ruto

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has adopted an unusually cautious approach, choosing a prepared speech over his trademark off-the-cuff remarks.

Uhuru Kenyatta kept politics out of his condolence message during a funeral in Kiharu, Murang’a County, on Friday, September 18, but his final words quickly became the talking point.

The former president told mourners that he had decided to read from a prepared script because of concerns that his spontaneous remarks could be misinterpreted in the current political environment.

“Usually, I speak off the cuff, but these days life is becoming quite dangerous for me,” Uhuru said before beginning his address.

He added that he wanted to avoid having his words interpreted differently from what he intended.

The retired president then delivered a roughly three-minute condolence message focused on the bereaved family and the loss they were mourning.

Unlike some of his previous public appearances, Uhuru made no political statements during the main part of his address.

It was the final line, however, that attracted widespread attention.

After completing his prepared remarks, Uhuru said, “That is all from ‘sponyo’, we will continue being together, God bless you.”

The reference appeared to echo the “Sponyo” label that President William Ruto has recently used while accusing Uhuru of financing or backing opposition activities against his administration.

Recent reports have documented Ruto’s attacks on his predecessor during his Nyanza tour.

“Sponyo” is a corrupted word for “sponsor”.

Uhuru’s use of the term during the Kiharu funeral therefore stood out, particularly after he had gone to considerable lengths to keep the rest of his speech away from politics.

The funeral brought together several prominent political figures, including Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and former State House Comptroller Kinuthia Mbugua.

The gathering was described by Uhuru as being connected to the extended Kenyatta family.

His decision to deliver a written message appeared to reflect the heightened political sensitivity surrounding his public appearances, particularly as political activity builds ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Speaking in Homa Bay on Thursday, September 17, Ruto accused Uhuru of opposing his administration and urged the retired president to step back from active political mobilisation.

Ruto also defended his government’s record in areas including education, affordable housing, healthcare and infrastructure, contrasting it with his assessment of the Jubilee administration’s record.

The President has previously accused Uhuru of supporting efforts to challenge his administration and referred to him in connection with the “sponsor” narrative.