President William Ruto says he’s ready to face voters in 2027 and has challenged Kenyans to judge his leadership based on the reforms his government has rolled out since he took office.
Speaking at State House Nairobi during a meeting with Christian clerics under the Federation of Evangelical and Indigenous Christian Churches of Kenya, Ruto appeared confident and combative.
“I am ready for the test,” he said. “That exam we will sit in 2027—I’m ready for it.”
Ruto, who swept to power in 2022 after a tightly contested race, said the real scorecard would be his record. He listed economic growth, agriculture, affordable housing, markets, youth employment, and healthcare reform as areas where progress is being made.
“You will come and ask me. On the economy—I will answer. On agriculture—you will see for yourselves,” he told the gathering. “On the Social Health Authority, affordable housing, youth employment—you will tell me.”
Calling Out the Opposition
Turning his attention to critics, Ruto accused opposition figures of offering nothing more than slogans and street protests, claiming they had yet to present a credible alternative to his government’s agenda.
“You will tell me who has a better plan than the one I have,” he said. “These other guys cannot tell you anything about the economy. They don’t know, and they don’t have a plan.”
Without naming names, the president dismissed opposition slogans like “Ruto must go” and “Wantam” as lacking substance.
“Have they ever explained anything about agriculture even once?” he asked. “Do they have a different plan from the one I have on healthcare? That is the reality, my friends.”
Focus on Jobs and Youth
The President also addressed rising frustration among young people, especially following recent protests calling for better governance and economic justice.
“We must work together to find lasting solutions to unemployment,” Ruto said. “On our part, we are making deliberate interventions to create jobs.”
According to the president, 400,000 young Kenyans have secured work abroad over the last two years through government-supported labour migration programmes. Another 320,000, he claimed, are currently engaged under the Affordable Housing Programme.
He also highlighted the growing tech workforce, noting that 180,000 young people are employed in digital roles through the Jitume Labs initiative and at Tatu City’s Special Economic Zone.
Plans are also underway, he said, to establish digital hubs in all 1,450 wards across the country. On education, Ruto pointed to a recent recruitment of 76,000 teachers, with 24,000 more expected by January 2026. He described it as the largest teacher recruitment drive in Kenya’s history.
With less than two years to the next general election, the president appears to be laying the groundwork for his re-election campaign. But for many Kenyans still struggling with high living costs and unemployment, the question remains whether his promises and statistics reflect the realities on the ground.