How Gabriel Oguda went from ‘Ruto must go’ to govt job

NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 7 – A year ago – in 2024, Gabriel Oguda was the face of fierce online resistance.

A fearless government critic, witty political commentator, and a key figure in the 2024 Gen Z protests against the Finance Bill.

His fiery threads on X spared no one in President William Ruto’s administration.

Then, in a twist, he was allegedly abducted, reportedly by state agents for his outspokenness.

That night, Oguda said, changed everything.

Fast forward to 2025, and Oguda is singing a very different tune.

President Ruto on Wednesday appointed the same man who once mocked, questioned, and challenged his regime to a powerful five-member committee overseeing the implementation of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report — part of the political handshake between him and Raila Odinga.

He now speaks the language of government, praises national unity, and takes jabs at former comrades who still criticize the administration he once despised.

But many Kenyans aren’t buying the transformation, especially considering the sharpness of his past attacks.

Take, for instance, this brutal reply he made to President Ruto’s condolence message following the death of Namibian President Hage Geingob:

William Samoei Ruto, PhD @WilliamsRuto
I extend my deepest condolences and sympathy to the family and the people of Namibia following the death of President Hage Geingob…

Gabriel Oguda @gabrieloguda
Are you going to Namibia to look for grave digging jobs for us, or you can explain?
(Feb 4, 2024)

In another post, Oguda didn’t even spare the First Lady:

Gabriel Oguda @gabrieloguda
Even if Rachel Ruto prays for heavy rains to wash away the sins of her husband, we will still float on the flood waters chanting Ruto Must Go.
(July 8, 2024)

He delivered a relentless stream of criticism that resonated with many who felt voiceless under harsh economic policies and an unyielding government and these weren’t isolated remarks.

So what happened?

Was Oguda’s change of heart a natural evolution or a classic case of “everyone has their price”?

The shift has raised eyebrows across the political divide.

Critics accuse Oguda of switching sides now that the government doors, once tightly shut have swung open for him.

He’s now in the room where the deals are made, the policies shaped, and the power shared.

To some, it smells like opportunism: a once-excluded activist finally getting his chance to “eat.”

Oguda’s defenders argue it’s naïve to expect people to remain permanent critics when the political ground is shifting.

They point to the broader realignment that brought even opposition leader Raila and other top opposition figures into the government fold.

“Politics is not religion,” said one supporter. “You go where the change is being made.”

Still, many Kenyans who closely followed Oguda’s journey, from his sharp Daily Nation columns to daring social media callouts and his terrifying abduction haven’t missed the irony.**

How does a man once targeted by state operatives end up working with the same system?

Kenyans on X had mixed reactions following his appointment.

“It’s time to unfollow Gabriel Oguda. You have to do it,” one user posted bluntly.

Oguda has not directly explained his transformation.

He returned to X in July 2024 after a long silence, posting less criticism and more analysis.

In January 2025, he was shortlisted for a Principal Secretary job, but didn’t make the cut.

Months later, he has now landed on President Ruto’s NADCO implementation committee, appointed, not elected.

For some, the dots connect too easily.

To his credit, Oguda is now positioned to influence national policy.

Whether he uses that power to uphold the ideals he once fought for or simply joins the long list of co-opted voices remains to be seen.