President William Ruto has hit back at rising opposition calls for his resignation, warning that the demand for him to step down holds no weight without a clear and lawful process, and urging leaders to stop inciting violence.

Speaking during the International MSMEs Day celebrations on Friday, the President said those chanting “Ruto must go” must explain how they expect such a change to happen within the limits of the Constitution. He questioned their motive and challenged them to present a better solution instead of chaos.

“If it is a question of terms, the Constitution has already sorted out and settled the issue of term limits. You can either be one or two-term… You cannot have more than that. So what is this craze about terms?” Ruto said.

He added, “If it is Ruto must go, then tell me how you want me to go. What do you mean by Ruto must go? How do I go? Because we have a Constitution in place.”

His remarks came two days after the June 25 protests that turned violent in several parts of the country, leading to injuries, destruction of property and job losses.

Ruto condemned the unrest and said those fuelling violence were hurting the same people they claimed to speak for.

“If you want Ruto to go, look for a better plan. Violence will not, anarchy will not. It will not sort out our country. Let’s be honest with one another,” he said.

The President challenged his critics to come up with a proper alternative that could deliver better results than his administration, especially on job creation and the cost of living.

“Do the honourable thing. Develop a better plan than the one I have—one that creates more jobs, lowers the cost of living, that creates more opportunities for the young people of Kenya,” Ruto said. “You cannot replace a plan that is working that you do not like, with no plan.”

Expressing his frustration, Ruto criticised what he called politics based on hate and destruction, saying real change must come through persuasion and not by damaging the country.

“Please! There are very few fools in Kenya. Persuade us. If you persuade us, I can also go and concentrate on farming and help in food security. But don’t burn the country—for heaven’s sake, we don’t have another country,” he said.

He also took aim at some political and religious leaders who he accused of encouraging protests and chaos without offering any meaningful direction.

“I want to ask the religious and political leaders who are encouraging this movement towards violence and chaos and anarchy… what is your plan?” the President posed.

Ruto warned that Kenya risks losing its stability if the unrest continues, reminding the country that leadership struggles should not come at the cost of national unity and peace.

“If we go this route, we will not have a country. And the country does not belong to William Ruto—it belongs to all of us. And if there is no country for William Ruto, there is no country for you,” he said.

Referring to the aftermath of the June 25 protests, the President said the destruction left thousands jobless overnight, adding that such damage cannot be celebrated as success.

“We had many people with jobs on June 24th. On 25th, their jobs went up in flames. And we have others telling us that the 25th was successful. Really? With so many people hurt, many businesses destroyed… was it really successful?”

He directed security agencies to move quickly in identifying and prosecuting those responsible for the violence and assured Kenyans that the government would remain firm in protecting lives and livelihoods through the rule of law.