Ruto defends housing project as Western Kenya tour ends
President William Ruto addresses residents during an inspection of the Vihiga Affordable Housing Project in Majengo, Vihiga County, on March 19, 2026, before presiding over the groundbreaking of Kidundu Stadium.
President William Ruto concluded his tour of Western Kenya yesterday by strongly defending his Affordable Housing Programme, describing it as a long-term solution to the problem of shrinking agricultural land in rural counties.
His remarks were a direct response to criticism from opposition leaders who recently dismissed the programme as a scheme designed to benefit politically connected contractors through lucrative construction contracts, leaving ordinary Kenyans out in the cold.
Led by Democracy for Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua, opposition figures have vowed to abolish the programme if they take power in 2027, transferring the housing units to county governments instead.
However, President Ruto insisted that the initiative is particularly critical in densely populated regions such as Western Kenya, where land fragmentation has made it increasingly difficult for families to make a living.
“If there was ever a place in need of affordable housing, it is Vihiga County, where citizens have limited space for settlement and intense competition for land for both livelihoods and housing,” said the President.
He noted that similar pressures are being experienced in counties such as Kisii, Nyamira, and Kericho, where available land for residential expansion is diminishing rapidly.
Dr Ruto said the government’s strategy is to develop urban centres and encourage migration to these areas, thereby freeing up rural land for agriculture.
“Affordable housing will help address the problem of land fragmentation in Vihiga and other counties, creating space for farming while resettling more people in urban areas,” he said.
During the handover of housing units to new owners at Milimani Affordable Housing Project in Vihiga, the President announced that the government plans to construct an additional 10,000 housing units and 15 new markets in the county at a cost of Sh20 billion. A further Sh3 billion, he said, will be invested in building hostels to accommodate over 5,000 students at technical training institutions.
Dr Ruto said his administration is committed to ensuring equitable development for Vihiga and the wider Western Kenya region.
A section of the Vihiga Affordable Housing Project in Majengo, Vihiga County, on March 19, 2026.
He dismissed the opposition’s plans to scrap the housing programme, arguing that their critics lack a viable alternative.
“These leaders say they will stop affordable housing and call it a mistake. But where do they expect the people of Vihiga to live? They do not understand what ordinary people need,” he said.
Dr Ruto also criticised leaders whom he accused of promoting tribal politics, stating he would not allow such divisive politics to undermine national unity.
“I will not allow tribalism to take root in this country. This nation belongs to all of us,” he said.
During the tour, Dr Ruto broke ground for the construction of the 10,000-seater Kidundo Stadium in Vihiga, which is to being built by the Kenya Defence Forces at a cost of Sh900 million and is expected to be completed within nine months. He also laid the foundation stone for the Sh365 million Mbale Modern Market in Sabatia, after which he proceeded to Bungoma County to launch the construction of the Kanduyi Smart City Airstrip.
From Friday to Tuesday, the President is expected to tour Luo Nyanza, where he will launch several development projects in what is seen as a strategic effort to consolidate political support in a region traditionally associated with the late opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Gachagua attack
Separately, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has launched a blistering attack on President Ruto, accusing him of straying from the weight of the presidency and descending into commentary on private lives, even as the country grapples with mounting economic and social strain.
Mr Gachagua painted a picture of a presidency, in his view, increasingly detached from the core burdens of governance.
“You have no business talking about someone’s private affairs and whether they have a wife or not. You need to focus and talk about serious issues such as infrastructure, security of the country and the poor state of healthcare. That is what Kenyans want to hear from you as the Head of State,” Mr Gachagua said.
He spoke at his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) party’s headquarters while welcoming former nominated senator Millicent Omanga into his political fold.
His remarks were a direct response to recent public statements by President Ruto, who has, in a series of speeches, called out leaders on what he described as moral decay and at times ridiculing his critics over their physical appearance and personal lives.
Mr Gachagua also said the healthcare sector in the country is in a big crisis but the Head of State had trivialised the issues affecting Kenyans.
Ms Omanga, who officially joined the party and declared her bid for Nairobi Woman Representative, echoed the criticism, accusing the administration of abandoning campaign promises, particularly to the urban poor.
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