Ruto tours Bomas project as nation marks Gen Z protest anniversary

He urged Kenyans to reject leaders who seek to divide citizens along ethnic or regional lines and instead evaluate leaders based on their ideas, development agenda and vision for the country.

“We should not allow politics of division and hatred to take root in this country. Let everyone present their plans, agenda and vision for Kenya. Kenyans are clever enough to know which agenda will prosper the country,” said President Ruto.

Read: Gen Z protest: Nairobi cut off from rest of Kenya by police barricades

Last week, the Head of State had sought to pacify Kenyans ahead of Thursday’s planned protests, debunking misinformation around the government’s taxation plan for the year starting July 1, as he signed the Finance Bill 2026 into law.

In his speech marking the signing of the Finance Bill, Dr Ruto explained a number of contentious issues associated with it, while appealing to ordinary Kenyans by offering them benefits in the last budget of his first term in office.

This was the first time that the Head of State has signed the crucial tax law before June 25 since coming into office, a date that has been met with public protests in the last three years.

The president urged opposition leaders to articulate their programmes and policy alternatives instead of relying on insults and ethnic mobilisation.

“These people lack ideas, vision and a clear agenda for this country. Kenya's democratic space allows leaders to compete on ideas and development records, not ethnicity and political labels. They should tell Kenyans their agenda and vision,” he said.

Speaking during the inspection tour, President Ruto expressed satisfaction with the progress made in constructing the Bomas International Convention Complex, describing it as a transformative project that will reposition Nairobi as a leading conference and business tourism destination in Africa.

“Previous administrations were unable to upgrade Bomas, but my administration has done it in a record one-and-a-half years. When we unveiled plans to modernise Bomas, many people doubted our commitment, but the project is now nearing completion,” he said.

Read: Bomas upgrade funding source

The President described the facility as a major step towards positioning Nairobi as Africa's premier hub for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE).

The new complex is designed to host thousands of delegates and significantly enhance Kenya's profile in international conferencing and business tourism.

The expansive development will include three hotels, a shopping mall and an amphitheatre, creating a fully integrated destination for global events and exhibitions.

Upon completion, the complex will accommodate up to 11,000 delegates across 35 conference halls and meeting rooms, with the main auditorium seating 3,000 participants.

Read: 10,000-seater meeting rooms, VIP hall for up to 30 presidents: Inside new Sh42bn plans for Bomas

According to President Ruto, the project will generate substantial revenue, create jobs and reinforce Kenya's position as East Africa's gateway for business, diplomacy and international engagements.

“The project will complement existing facilities and elevate Nairobi's status as a preferred destination for regional and international meetings,” he said.

During the more than two-hour inspection tour, the President interacted with engineers, technicians and construction workers on site, commending them for their expertise and commitment to delivering the project.

More than 2,500 workers are currently engaged at the site, working around the clock to complete the development.

Earlier this week, President Ruto disclosed that the government had allocated Sh14.2 billion towards the completion of the project.

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