‘Only a fool does not change his mind’: Mutahi Ngunyi defects to Kenya Kwanza

Outspoken political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi has announced defection to President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza camp.

Ngunyi, a city lawyer who previously served as former President Uhuru Kenyatta's advisor on political matters said in a social media post late Monday that he changed his mind about Ruto, whom he had hitherto been a fierce critic of.

“Public notice: I have defected to William Ruto. I mis-judged him using the dynasty lens. But if the facts change, you must change your mind. And only a fool does not change his mind. I started Project #HustlerNation. Now I must complete it. Iko Swali? #RutosMountainPlan,” Ngunyi wrote on the X social media platform, formerly known as Twitter.

He was referring to the political dynasty tag opposition leader Raila Odinga had been labelled following their March 2018 truce. 

In recent days, Ngunyi has been seen praising President Ruto’s administration amid the anti-government protests called by the opposition over the high cost of living, telling Kenyans to give the former deputy president a chance.

"Ruto 'grass-rooting' politics in my Mukurweini village. The distinction between a hustler president and a dynasty president is simple: a dynasty president is transactional. A Ruto presidency is relational," Ngunyi wrote in response to a video of Ruto speaking with dairy farmers on how to improve milk production.