Makueni County Senator Dan Maanzo has defended the increasingly popular ‘Ruto must go’ chants, stating that they are well within the constitutional rights of Kenyans.
Speaking during an interview on a local TV station on Thursday, April 3, 2025, Maanzo argued that citizens have the right to express their dissatisfaction with the government, especially in a democratic country where elections are held every five years.
According to the Senator, President William Ruto’s decision to engage in what appears to be early political campaigns has prompted the public to respond with chants demanding his exit. Maanzo emphasized that as long as the protests are peaceful and free from violence, they remain protected under the constitution.
“‘Ruto must go’ chants is well within the constitution because we conduct elections every five years and what has happened is, it is Ruto himself who has started early campaigns and therefore the people have responded,” the Senator declared.
He further explained that the situation would only be a cause for alarm if there were indications of an armed rebellion attempting to overthrow the government. However, he maintained that the current chants are purely political expressions.
“The only way the CDF could be correct is if… there was a private army in the country which is trying to overthrow the government and is saying ‘Ruto must go.’ Then there will be a cause for alarm, but this is politics,” Maanzo stated.
The Senator attributed the frustration among Kenyans to various pressing issues, including harsh economic conditions, allegations of abductions, and extrajudicial killings. According to him, these factors have fueled public discontent, resulting in anti-Ruto chants.
“The reasons why people are saying ‘Ruto must go’ are known, the hard economic times, abductions and extrajudicial killings,” he added.
CDF remarks
Maanzo’s remarks come days after Kenya’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Charles Kahariri, addressed the growing “Ruto must go” chants, which have stirred criticism from human rights activists and a section of leaders.
Speaking during a public lecture by National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Noordin Haji at the National Intelligence and Research University in Nairobi on Thursday, March 27, 2025, Kahariri urged Kenyans to uphold patriotism to maintain peace and stability.
He cautioned that while exercising constitutional rights is essential, it should be done within legal limits to prevent the nation from descending into chaos. According to Kahariri, calls for political change, such as the “Must Go” slogan, should follow constitutional procedures to avoid disorder.
“Unless we love our country first, we will soon have no country, and if there is no spare, we can not have anarchy in the country. So, as people exercise their rights, they should be within limits, within bounds, such that we can not allow them to exercise their rights to the extent of tearing apart the country,” Kahariri said.
He further emphasized the military’s neutrality, clarifying that the armed forces remain apolitical and committed to defending the Constitution and the legitimately elected government.
“The military: we are apolitical; we do not support any political side. We defend the constitution and the government of the day, duly elected by the people, so when people decide that they are tired of this government and you choose it yourself, and then you say, ‘Must go, ‘Must go‘, that ‘Must go‘ must be done according to the constitution,” he stated.