By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
Kenya, January 08, 2026 - President William Ruto has issued a firm warning against the politicisation of school placements, pushing back at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over remarks suggesting regional preference in admissions to top national schools.
Speaking on Thursday during the disbursement of NYOTA business capital in Uasin Gishu County, the President said dragging ethnicity into education was dangerous and unfair, especially to children who have no role in political contests. “Let’s not allow ourselves to be dragged into tribal politics,” Ruto said. “Oh, you are Kikuyu, oh, you are Luo, oh, you are Kalenjin. That is bad politics.”
Without naming Gachagua directly at first, Ruto argued that leaders who lack ideas often turn to divisive language to stay politically relevant. “If someone doesn’t have a plan, they sell hate. If they have no agenda, they sell tribalism,” he stated. The President expressed concern that the ongoing placement of Grade 10 learners under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) was being turned into a political tool, warning that such rhetoric risks undermining fairness in the education system.
“They have even gone after our children in school. Do you want to divide children in school? How desperate can someone be? Let our children be,” Ruto said. He added: “Those children are Kenyans. Whatever community they come from, they are children of Kenya.”
Ruto insisted that national schools must remain inclusive institutions that serve learners from across the country, stressing that no region, county or community should feel excluded. “We do not want any county, any region or community, or any person to be left behind; we must move together. Let us not accept tribal politics,” he said.
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The remarks come days after Gachagua, now leader of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), raised concerns during a church service at AIPCA Kiratina in Githunguri, Kiambu County. He questioned why students from outside the Mt Kenya region were being admitted to prestigious schools such as Alliance High School and Mang’u High School, while local students with strong grades were placed in lower-ranked institutions.
“Other people are being brought to our schools here, like Mang’u, Alliance and other top schools, while our children are being placed in lower-ranked schools despite having higher grades,” Gachagua said. “There is total confusion in the education system. Parents do not know what to do,” he added, linking the issue to challenges facing the CBC transition.
He went on to propose that learners from Mt Kenya should be prioritised in top schools within the region, remarks that triggered sharp criticism from political leaders and education stakeholders. In response, alumni associations from Mang’u High School and Alliance High School defended the merit-based national placement policy, reaffirming that their institutions are national schools meant to admit students from all parts of Kenya.
Ruto’s message on Thursday was blunt: political battles should not be fought in classrooms. “Let our children learn,” he said. “Leave them out of politics.”
