Kioni dismisses ‘Wantam’ slogan as toothless, says it strengthened Ruto regime instead of weakening it

Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has poured cold water on the opposition’s popular “Wantam” slogan, describing it as poorly thought out and ineffective.

Speaking during a local radio interview on Wednesday, September 17, Kioni argued that the slogan, despite gaining traction among opposition supporters, has failed to unsettle the Kenya Kwanza government. Instead, he said, it has emboldened President William Ruto’s administration.

“If you tell me that at the end of my contract I must go, I will ask you, ‘What am I supposed to do since it’s obvious?’” Kioni remarked.

The opposition-aligned politician maintained that “Wantam,” initially intended as a rallying cry for discontented Kenyans, has instead allowed the government to appear more open. He pointed to recent instances of delegations being welcomed to State House, a move he claimed was once avoided due to Gen Z threats of mass occupation.

“So what happened with Wantam? The Ruto regime became comfortable. They are now more arrogant. They are doing things that, back before, they were not doing. You now see them welcoming delegations to State House,” Kioni said.

He contrasted the slogan with the Gen Z protests, which he described as leaving government without a comeback, unlike “Wantam,” which was quickly countered with a rival slogan, “Tutam.”

“You see, the Gen Zs had a way of hitting, and there were no comebacks for Ruto. But this Wantam, the comeback is Tutam,” Kioni added.

The “Wantam” slogan, however, has continued to feature prominently at opposition rallies and was even highlighted by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during his recent visit to the United States, where he wrote it at the Meta headquarters in Silicon Valley.