Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has dismissed the growing “Wantam” campaign against President William Ruto, arguing that those pushing for a one-term presidency have misunderstood the Constitution and how it provides for presidential tenure.

Speaking in Ziwa, Uasin Gishu County on Sunday during a public address, Kindiki said the Constitution contemplates a president serving up to two five-year terms. He maintained that calls insisting President Ruto should leave office after one term ignore the constitutional framework governing presidential elections.

“Those saying ‘Wantam’ have not read the Constitution. The constitution says two terms. The first term is for introducing policies and development projects, while the second one is for completing them,” Kindiki said.

The Deputy President argued that a first term gives an administration an opportunity to roll out its development agenda and policy reforms, while a second term allows it to complete programmes that require a longer implementation period. His remarks come as the “Wantam” slogan has gained traction in political rallies and on social media, where critics of the Kenya Kwanza administration have adopted it to express opposition to President Ruto securing another five-year mandate in the 2027 General Election.

The phrase, derived from the English words “one term,” has increasingly become a rallying call among sections of the opposition and some government critics, who argue that the current administration should not be returned to office after its first constitutional term.

Kindiki’s comments reflect the government’s latest response to the campaign, which has become a recurring feature of Kenya’s political discourse as the country moves closer to the next election cycle.

Under Article 142 of the Constitution, the President holds office for a term of five years beginning on the date they are sworn into office. Article 142(2) further provides that a person shall not hold office as President for more than two terms.

Constitutionally, however, the law sets the maximum period a president may serve rather than guaranteeing two terms in office. A sitting president must still contest a fresh election at the end of the first term and secure the majority of valid votes required under the Constitution to earn another five-year mandate.

This means a president is eligible to seek re-election once but can also be voted out after serving a single term if the electorate chooses another candidate.

President Ruto, who was sworn into office in September 2022 after winning the presidential election, will be eligible to seek a second and final term in the 2027 General Election, subject to the outcome of the vote.

Kindiki’s remarks are therefore part of the broader political debate surrounding President Ruto’s re-election prospects, with supporters defending the administration’s right to seek another mandate while opponents continue to promote the “Wantam” campaign as a political message ahead of the next polls.