President William Ruto has opened a new legal frontier that could redefine Kenyan governance. In a move without precedent, the Head of State announced he will seek a Supreme Court advisory opinion on the legal standing of political party manifestos. His core question: once a manifesto wins an election, does it become a binding social contract that the courts must respect?

Speaking at State House, Nairobi, during the swearing-in of 15 new Court of Appeal judges, a frustrated Ruto argued that his administration's flagship projects—anchored in his "Plan"—are being derailed by "judicial activism." He contends that by voting for him, Kenyans ratified his manifesto, giving it a legitimacy that should shield it from frivolous litigation.

The "Social Contract" Argument

"I want to understand," Ruto posited to the gathered jurists. "If a manifesto is endorsed by millions of Kenyans, where does it stand when challenged in court? Is it just a piece of paper, or is it the supreme will of the people?"

This rhetorical gamble is aimed squarely at the constant barrage of court orders halting his Housing Levy and Universal Health Coverage initiatives. Ruto is effectively asking the Judiciary to treat his manifesto as a quasi-constitutional document.

• The Separation of Powers: Legal scholars warn this is a slippery slope. If a manifesto overrides other laws, it could bypass public participation and parliamentary oversight. "A vote is not a blank check to ignore the Constitution," noted one constitutional lawyer.
• Judicial Independence: The President, while seeking this advisory, also pledged to respect court orders—a promise scrutinized against his recent attacks on "corrupt judges."

A Battle for Control

This move signals a shift from political rhetoric to legal warfare. By asking the Supreme Court to weigh in, Ruto is trying to encircle his opponents with a judicial seal of approval. If the court agrees that a manifesto carries legal weight, it could make it significantly harder for civil society to challenge government policy.

As the 15 new judges took their oaths, the subtext was clear: the Judiciary is not just an arbiter of disputes, but the new battleground for the soul of the government's agenda. Ruto is betting that the "will of the people" can be weaponized to clear the legal hurdles in his path.