KERICHO, Kenya — President William Ruto used the third day of a four-day tour of Bomet and Kericho counties on Friday to mount a robust defence of his government’s economic record, telling residents he had inherited an economy weighed down by high debt, inflation and currency pressure that his administration has since stabilised.
Speaking during a series of project launches in the tea-growing region, Ruto said his government had slowed the pace of borrowing, tamed inflation and steadied the shilling since he took office in 2022 — and challenged his political opponents to spell out what they would do differently.
“I found the economy in debt”
Addressing the crowd largely in Kiswahili, Ruto said he had taken over a country already burdened by debt and other economic strains.
“Nilichukua uchumi ya Kenya ikiwa na madeni, inflation ilikuwa juu, exchange rate ilikuwa juu, mambo ya dola yetu ama foreign exchange ilikuwa imezama” — roughly, that he inherited an economy already in debt, with high inflation and a foreign-exchange position under severe strain, he said.
He argued that his administration had since reversed the trend. “Leo tumesimamisha uchumi,” he said — “Today we have stabilised the economy” — adding in English: “We have reduced exchange rates. We have managed stability. We have brought inflation [down]. We have brought order. We have reduced on borrowing, and transformation is going on in Kenya.”
Debt comparisons with predecessors
Ruto drew comparisons between his own debt record and those of his two immediate predecessors, claiming former President Mwai Kibaki tripled the national debt during his tenure and that Uhuru Kenyatta increased it fivefold, while Kenya’s debt under his own administration had grown by 27 percent over five years.
“Mimi in five years, madeni ya Kenya imeongezeka by 27 percent,” he said. “Akili bana” — loosely, “use your head,” a colloquial aside urging the audience to draw their own comparison.
Ruto’s economic claims have faced scrutiny before: independent fact-checking organisations examining earlier statements by the President found a mixed record, with some figures — including on debt servicing and tax revenue — found to be inaccurate or overstated, while others were broadly accurate.
Kenya’s total public debt stood at more than 10 trillion shillings (roughly $66 billion) as of mid-2023, equivalent to around two-thirds of GDP, according to Treasury figures at the time, and debt-servicing costs have remained a significant strain on the budget throughout Ruto’s presidency.
Challenge to political rivals
The President also turned to his political opponents, telling them to present an alternative economic vision rather than simply criticising his government’s performance.
“That is what we have done. And that is the truth. And I want to challenge my competitors to tell us their alternative story,” he said.
He framed the remainder of his term around continued investment in roads, electricity connectivity, healthcare, education and agriculture, listing them as the priorities voters should weigh ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Pledge on equitable development
Ruto also defended his government’s approach to regional development, saying no part of the country had been neglected under his administration.
“Kwa sababu hii maendeleo inaendelea hapa, nimehakikisha hakuna sehemu ya Kenya imebaki. Hakuna jamii ya Kenya imewachwa nyuma” — that development was continuing nationwide and no region or community had been left behind, he said.
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He argued that perceived favouritism between regions was a source of division. “Mambo ya ubaguzi ndio inalete kisirani. Mambo ya ubaguzi ndio inalete chuki,” he said — that discrimination breeds resentment and conflict — before switching to English to add: “Every part of the Republic of Kenya will be on board, and we are going to leave no community, we are going to leave no region, we are going to leave no area left behind.”
Ruto’s tour of Bomet and Kericho counties, which began on Wednesday, 9 September and concludes Saturday, 12 September, has centred on the commissioning and inspection of government infrastructure projects, including a 3.1 billion-shilling road project linking tea-growing areas of Kericho.
The visit doubles as an early political outing ahead of the 2027 election, with the President using project launches to make the case for a second term.
