President William Ruto has said his administration will deliver on all the pre-election promises made to Kenyans ahead of the general election.
He deflected claims that he had overpromised Kenyans, faltered and failed to deliver on the development agenda he rode to power with four years ago under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party ticket.
Dr Ruto said his administration had fixed all facets of the socio-economic set-up in the country to the benefit of Kenyans and was on track to deliver the agenda as captured in the UDA manifesto.
“We did not overpromise. We promised what we knew we were going to deliver. We promised what we could deliver and we are on the right track on the development agenda,” Dr Ruto said at Kapkatet stadium in Bureti constituency, Kericho county on Thursday.
He said Kenya’s economy had risen in the last three years to the sixth largest economy in the region, with more investment opportunities.
“We have revived the economy, which was suffocating from debts when we took over. We have lowered the inflation rate and the interest rate on loans (by financial institutions). The exchange rate has been stabilised, and the foreign currency earned from tourism has tripled,” Dr Ruto stated.
The President cited agriculture, health, infrastructure – roads, housing and rural electrification – labour export, education, among others as the driving engines of economic growth in Kenya.
“Today we can demonstrate with evidence, with programs, with projects that we have transformed our nation,” he said on the second day of the four-day tour in the South Rift region, in what has been seen as an effort to secure the Rift Valley voting bloc.
Dr Ruto stated, “We have unlocked roads infrastructural upgrade, with contractors having returned to sites after being paid pending bills that had piled up for over six years by the past administration, but now cleared by my administration,” Dr Ruto said.
President William Ruto addresses members of the public in Kipkelion East, Kericho County, on Thursday September 10, 2026.
Photo credit: PCS
“The road construction which had stalled is now ongoing across the country with 6,000 kilometres under construction in all the counties,” Dr Ruto stated.
The transformation in the health sector, he said, was one of the great pillars of the reforms that had been put in place by his administration.
He stated that the education sector had undergone reforms with the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) under implementation, with higher education funding models undergoing reforms to bring on board all vulnerable learners.
Dr Ruto challenged the opposition leaders in the country to engage him on the issues, roll out their alternative agenda and plan to outperform him instead of engaging in unnecessary political rhetoric.
“We will engage in 2027 on the issues and development agenda to change the country for the better. Let everyone take responsibility and show us their agenda,” he said.
He accused the opposition of being preoccupied with plans to reverse the programs rolled out by the government to the benefit of Kenyans.
“The opposition has gone from united opposition to Alternative government, yet they do not have an alternative plan and agenda for the country. I will hammer them at every opportunity,” Dr Ruto said.
Dr Ruto claimed the opposition did not have a development plan for the country, as their only preoccupation was hitting out at the government of the day.
In the tour, the President is riding on key infrastructural facilities in the South Rift region, including roads, rural electrification, stadiums, markets, Affordable Housing units, hospitals and water projects which he says are expected to spur economic growth.
Dr Ruto announced that two referral hospitals will be constructed in Kericho to be based in Ainamoi and Kipkelion East constituencies.
President William Ruto at Bomet Shopping Centre, Bomet County, on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
Photo credit: PCS
A Sh 8 billion Referral hospital will be constructed in Kericho town, he said, and another one in Londiani, whose cost he did not reveal.
The government has set aside Sh 500 million for setting up the University of Kabianga School of Health Sciences, which will be domiciled at the Kericho Teachers Training College.
“We are spending Sh 22 billion on 340 kms of roads in Kericho County to address the issues relating to transport and economic growth in the region. The roads link counties, constituencies and civic wards,” Dr Ruto stated.
He said, “The water project to benefit Litein and Kapkatet trading centres has been allocated Sh1.6 billion for expansion and rehabilitation of the existing works, while the Kericho water project has been allocated Sh 400 million for infrastructure upgrades.”
Dr Ruto said Kericho town would be expanded, with 500 acres set aside in the Chelimo area, with Sh1 billion set aside for road construction, along with a Special Economic zone will be opened, with Sh200 million having been allocated to it t.
It comes as Dr Ruto’s allies on the tour told him to ignore the opposition leaders and focus on the implementation of the national development agenda ahead of the 2027 general election.
“Mr President, the people you are competing with are so rudderless that they can not even match my level and that of the majority of my colleagues. If I were pitted against them, I would beat them hands down,” Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot said.
The President is seeking to solidify his Rift Valley political backyard ahead of the 2027 poll as the opposition seeks a piece of the pie ahead of the 2027 poll.
