President William Ruto’s Full Madaraka Day Speech
Your Excellency, Nataša Pirc Musar, President of the Republic of Slovenia, Your Excellency the Deputy President, Hon. Rigathi Gachagua, First Lady, Mama Rachel Ruto, Second Lady, Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court, Lady Justice Martha Koome, Speaker of the National Assembly, Rt.
Hon. Moses Wetang’ula, Speaker of the Senate, Rt. Hon. Amason Kingi, and all leaders present here this morning, fellow Kenyans,
It is once again my privilege and pleasure to be in this county full of promise, and to share with you the 62nd Madaraka Day, our day of self-rule.
On this day, we commemorate the moment when Kenya’s journey to full independence reached a key milestone and celebrate the progress we have made over the years.
Sixty-two years ago, we made the bold and historic choice to govern ourselves. Over the years, we have created a strong democratic government anchored in good governance, the rule of law, and the sovereignty of the people.
We have built resilient institutions that represent our shared values of inclusion, freedom, equality, and justice, and have upheld and defended our peace, unity, and dignity.
Through difficult times and great challenges, we have repeatedly made clear that we are a capable and ambitious people, committed to development, and united in our effort to transform Kenya.
Today, we come together to reaffirm our belief in the strength of our nationhood and our faith in our collective will and capacity to build a more prosperous and inclusive Kenya.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This year’s Madaraka Day celebrations are dedicated to the theme of Kenya’s renewal through the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
The Kenya Kwanza Plan is not just a government agenda. It is a national strategy to deepen our freedom and strengthen the foundation of our democratic self-governance. It is a collective path towards dignity, opportunity, and shared prosperity.
The transformation of our country is an ambitious goal. The journey to get there is tough and challenging.
The goal is urgent, the demands are heavy, and the obstacles are many. However, our shared commitment, our tireless effort, and our belief in each other and in the promise of our nation have always seen us through.
This moment calls for bold action and innovative thinking. We must be ready to challenge old ways, overcome old doubts, and believe in our ability to rise above past limitations. It is time to take responsibility, embrace change, and move forward.
Over the decades, we have developed impressive national development plans. Our challenge has always been turning those plans into real change.
The gap between vision and implementation has been wide. As a result, Kenyans have experienced frustration and doubt, seeing little improvement in their lives despite great promises.
This time, we are committed to doing things differently. We want to build an economy that serves all Kenyans, where every citizen can thrive.
This is the heart of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda. It focuses on investing in people, especially those at the grassroots, so they can build better lives for themselves and their families.
The core of this agenda is to empower people who have been excluded for too long. We are shifting attention to those in sectors that were previously ignored, giving them access to resources and opportunities to grow.
The plan ensures that every citizen, regardless of background or status, has a fair chance to succeed.
The economy is already responding positively to our reforms. Since I assumed office in August 2022, our economy has grown steadily at an average rate of 5%, outpacing both global and African averages.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) now ranks our GDP at $132 billion, making Kenya the largest economy in the Eastern and Central Africa region, and the sixth largest in Africa.
Inflation has dropped significantly from 9.2% in 2022 to 5.1% in April 2024, easing the pressure on households and improving the cost of living.
The value of the Kenyan Shilling has strengthened against major global currencies, especially the US dollar, bringing down the cost of imports and stabilizing the economy.
Our foreign exchange reserves have also increased, standing at 4.8 months of import cover. This progress has restored confidence among global investors, development partners, and international financial institutions in Kenya’s economy.
These results are due to the difficult but necessary decisions we have made to reduce debt, increase revenue, improve transparency, and attract investment. Though the journey is tough, the results show we are on the right path.
The Affordable Housing Programme has emerged as a major pillar of our transformation. This initiative is changing lives by creating thousands of jobs and enabling low-income earners to own homes.
I have personally handed over houses to proud new owners in several counties, including Kiambu, Homa Bay, and Kakamega.
These housing projects are not just about shelter. They are creating jobs for our youth, supporting local businesses, and reshaping urban spaces. Currently, over 42,000 housing units are under construction across 45 counties, and the programme has created over 250,000 jobs.
We are also implementing reforms in healthcare to ensure all Kenyans can access quality medical services.
Through the establishment of the Social Health Authority, we have launched the Taifa Care health insurance programme. So far, 23 million Kenyans have registered, with around 50,000 people joining every day.
The Social Health Authority has already paid out KSh43 billion in claims, benefiting 4.5 million Kenyans.
We’ve also introduced a flexible payment plan called LIPA SHA POLE POLE, allowing Kenyans to pay KSh300 monthly or KSh10 daily via mobile phones. This model has made health insurance accessible and affordable to more people.
In agriculture, we have distributed 560,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer, up from 150,000 previously, at a subsidized price of KSh2,500 per 50kg bag.
This has resulted in a 50% increase in maize production, making food more available and affordable. We’ve also paid farmers promptly and introduced reforms to ensure transparency and fairness in food production.
In the coffee sector, we’ve cleaned up the system by removing cartels and empowering farmers to sell their produce directly. We’ve released KSh6.8 billion to pay off debts owed by cooperative societies and provided another KSh2 billion to stabilize prices.
The sugar sector has also received attention. We’ve written off KSh117 billion in debts owed by state-owned sugar factories and are working to improve their performance through professional management and partnerships with farmers.
In dairy farming, we’ve introduced reforms to support producers and stabilize prices. We are also investing in the cotton sector, which has already created 40,000 jobs, and in tea, where reforms have improved earnings.
We are determined to empower Kenyans at all levels, especially those who have long been excluded. Through the Hustler Fund, we’ve disbursed KSh45 billion to 21 million Kenyans, helping them start and grow businesses. This fund has encouraged saving, and users have saved KSh2.2 billion.
Micro, small, and medium enterprises are the backbone of our economy. We have passed laws to protect their interests and are simplifying the tax system to support their growth. We want to build a fair system where everyone can succeed.
We are investing heavily in digital technology. Through the Kenya Digital Superhighway project, we’ve laid 14,000 km of fibre optic cable.
We’re building digital hubs in all 1,450 wards to provide training, online work, and e-commerce opportunities. Over 390 hubs are already complete, creating jobs and transforming communities.
To support education, we’ve hired 56,750 teachers and rolled out the Junior Secondary School curriculum.
We’re also building classrooms and providing free meals to students in public schools. These efforts aim to improve learning outcomes and ensure no child is left behind.
On energy, we are committed to green growth. Kenya is a global leader in renewable energy, and we’re working to ensure every Kenyan has access to clean and affordable power.
We are upgrading transmission lines, supporting mini-grids, and encouraging solar solutions for homes and businesses.
We are also working to combat climate change. Through the Special Presidential Forestry and Rangeland Restoration Programme, we aim to grow 15 billion trees by 2032. Already, over 500 million seedlings have been planted through the #JazaMiti campaign.
As we focus on building our nation, we are also preparing Kenya to excel in a future that is becoming more competitive and complex.
This involves providing our students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and mindset to take advantage of opportunities and make meaningful contributions to national development.
Following bold recommendations from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform, we are implementing the most significant transformation of our education system in over sixty years.
We have successfully shifted to a Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, moving away from rote learning to a dynamic, skills-based approach that aligns with 21st-century needs and our socio-economic goals.
Our next goal is to ensure that every school has the infrastructure and equipment required to support both learners and teachers.
To support this transition and meet the needs of our growing population, we have carried out the largest teacher recruitment drive since independence, employing 76,000 new teachers over two years.
We are on track to hire an additional 24,000 by January 2026, bringing the total to 100,000 new teachers within this period.
Additionally, we have constructed over 23,000 new classrooms, reducing pressure on existing infrastructure and alleviating overcrowding for both teachers and learners.
At the tertiary level, we have transformed education financing by introducing a new student-centered funding model that ensures the sustainability of our Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and universities while expanding access for learners.
Currently, students from low-income families receive up to 90% of government scholarships, with parents contributing only a nominal fee.
Recognizing the transformative power of TVET in addressing challenges such as youth unemployment, skills gaps, and poverty, the government is significantly increasing investment in technical training.
TVET college enrollment is expected to quadruple, from 500,000 in 2023 to 2 million by the end of this year, equipping a new generation with the skills and knowledge needed to drive Kenya’s industrialization, innovation, and economic competitiveness.
To further empower ordinary Kenyans and small businesses with affordable credit, the Hustler Fund has supported over 25 million borrowers, disbursed KSh70 billion, and mobilized KSh4.5 billion in savings.
It has also introduced an innovative credit rating system that is transforming access to finance for millions who were previously excluded from the formal financial system.
The Hustler Fund credit rating system provides a fair and transparent assessment of creditworthiness, serving as an alternative form of soft collateral for individuals at the base of our economy who lack access to formal financial guarantees such as payslips, title deeds, or other traditional forms of collateral.
To date, over 4.5 million beneficiaries with strong credit scores have qualified for increased loan limits. Notably, 400,000 of them are now eligible for loans of up to KSh150,000, relying solely on their credit scores, thereby integrating them into the mainstream financial system and unlocking greater economic opportunities.
As part of this financial empowerment program for those at the base of our economy, I am pleased to announce that, recognizing the immense potential of our youth, their critical role in the economy, and their capacity for creativity and innovation, the government has partnered with the World Bank to launch the KSh20 billion National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project.
This initiative aims to empower over 800,000 youth aged 18–29 years, and up to 35 years for those with disabilities, by enhancing employability through skills training, on-the-job experience, recognition of prior learning, entrepreneurial development, and the promotion of a savings culture.
The NYOTA Project leverages the Hustler Fund platform and has already attracted over 1 million applicants for its business support component.
This initiative targets at least 70 youth per ward across the country, offering grant funding, business training, and market linkages.
We have committed KSh5 billion in grants to support 100,000 young people, each receiving KSh50,000 in seed capital to start their entrepreneurial journey by August this year.
I am also pleased to report that, starting this week, we will begin the nationwide rollout of Climate Worx, a bold and ambitious initiative aimed at engaging over 110,000 young people across all 47 counties in meaningful work that strengthens our nation’s resilience, beginning with informal settlements.
Launched last year in Nairobi, the program has recorded significant success and is now being expanded to the remaining 46 counties.
Structured as a social protection program, Climate Worx will engage youth to deliver vital public goods, including the construction of roads, the planting of trees, and the improvement of environmental sanitation within their localities.
Through Climate Worx, we are not just offering immediate employment; we are providing financial relief and a bridge to future opportunities, enabling young people to pursue their next steps, whether in launching a business, furthering their education, or stepping into long-term employment.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Blue Economy is a central pillar of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, with vast potential for job creation, food security, revenue generation, and rural development. Many nations have leveraged their marine resources for prosperity. It is time for Kenya to do the same.
That is why this Madaraka Day, themed around the Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, is being marked here in Homa Bay, the Bay of Endless Opportunities.
When we speak of unutilized opportunities and untapped potential in the Blue Economy, Homa Bay, in many ways, mirrors the promise of Kenya itself.
Kenya has the capacity to become a maritime powerhouse. It is time to act, time to do something bold, ambitious, and transformative with this opportunity.
Recognizing this opportunity, the government is prioritizing the Blue Economy as a key frontier for national socio-economic transformation. We are making deliberate and strategic investments in sustainable fisheries across lakes, dams, and oceans.
A flagship initiative is the Kabonyo Fisheries and Aquaculture Service and Training Centre of Excellence in Nyando, Kisumu County. Once operational, it will produce 7 million fingerlings quarterly to restock Lake Victoria and drive research, training, and innovation.
The facility will house a Nile Perch Innovation Centre, an Aquaculture Resource Centre, and the Kenya Fishing School, positioning Kenya as a regional aquaculture leader.
Similarly, the Sagana Aquaculture Centre is being modernized to serve as a national breeding hub for warm-water species like Nile tilapia and African catfish.
These initiatives will boost aquaculture productivity, improve nutrition, and expand livelihoods, aligning with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and our Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), to expand fish farming into arid and semi-arid regions.
In Mount Kenya’s highlands, the Kiganjo Trout Hatchery is being upgraded to resolve issues like fingerling shortages and high costs, ensuring trout farming remains viable in cooler regions.
At the Coast, the National Mariculture Research and Training Centre (NAMARET) in Shimoni, under the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), is cultivating marine species like milkfish, mud crabs, seaweed, oysters, and prawns.
This initiative aims to create jobs and improve livelihoods for about 200,000 people across five coastal counties.
The development of the Liwatoni and Shimoni Fishing Ports will further expand deep-sea fishing capacity to 24 vessels, fully unlocking our marine potential.
We have completed seven modern fish landing sites on the Indian Ocean coast and three on the shores of Lake Victoria.
Additionally, five more landing sites are under construction in the coastal counties of Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River, and Lamu, at a cost of KSh1 billion, due for completion by September.
Nine new landing sites are also planned around Lake Victoria in Kisumu, Busia, Siaya, Migori, and Homa Bay, with a budget of KSh1.5 billion.
To strengthen the fisheries value chain, we are also building modern fish markets with cold storage and hygiene facilities.
In the Coast, markets are being constructed in Likoni, Malindi, and Kibuyuni. In Turkana, we are developing markets in Kalokol and Lowarengak, alongside fully equipped landing sites in Kalokol and Loiyangalani.
Collectively, these investments aim to cut post-harvest fish losses currently estimated at 30–40% and create new economic opportunities for women and youth.
The Blue Economy currently contributes KSh36 billion, which is about 0.6% of GDP, but has the potential to contribute KSh400 billion through both capture and culture fisheries.
To meet rising fish demand and ease pressure on wild stocks, we are promoting cage fish farming in Lake Victoria. As of 2024, over 4,000 cages have been established in Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay, Migori, and Busia, producing 12,000 metric tonnes annually, mostly Nile tilapia.
Ladies and gentlemen, over the past two and a half years, we have constructed 1,800 kilometers of new tarmac roads and maintained over 134,800 kilometers, surpassing our targets, unlocking markets, empowering rural communities, and supporting key sectors such as agriculture and housing.
The discussions on extending the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Kisumu and further to Malaba have been finalized. Additionally, by July this year, construction will kick off on the dual carriageway between Mau Summit and Rironi, with plans to extend it through Eldoret to Malaba.
Fellow Kenyans, as we often say, it’s always the right time for tea or coffee in this country, which is why instant coffee remains popular. However, while instant coffee might be convenient, there are no shortcuts when it comes to building a nation.
Lasting progress requires careful planning, consistency, and discipline. Promises must be backed by action, and success demands the daily commitment to doing what must be done.
Above all, we must overcome the fear of change, because the modern world demands bravery, strong principles, and bold leadership.
The transformation happening across our country is real and significant. We are witnessing remarkable progress: our children are accessing better, more relevant education.
By January 2026, we will have hired 100,000 teachers—the largest recruitment in Kenya’s history—to shape the future workforce.
Roads are connecting remote regions, electricity is reaching every village, and decent housing is being built in many counties. Our farmers are ensuring food security, and more Kenyans than ever can now receive quality healthcare.
Boda boda riders are accessing affordable credit, and our market traders—especially mama mbogas—are flourishing in modern facilities throughout the country.
This is the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation in motion—not just a concept, but a reality improving the lives of millions of hardworking Kenyans.
We must keep up this momentum to recover lost ground and open up more opportunities for those still waiting for a chance.
We need to continue believing in Kenya’s promise and our own power to achieve our dreams. Let us never become a nation that gave up hope, or a people who dreamed but were too afraid to make their dreams real.
Let’s move ahead with the same determination, honouring the dreams of our founding leaders. Their vision wasn’t just for independence, but for a country where every Kenyan, regardless of background, has the freedom to dream, the chance to strive, and the opportunity to succeed.
Today, we reaffirm that promise: to ensure no one is left behind, and to build a Kenya where hope and opportunity belong to all.
In conclusion, this Madaraka Day is not only a celebration of our history but also a reaffirmation of our future. Every Kenyan who has taken action—whether by registering for health insurance, joining the Hustler Fund, planting trees, or building a house—is part of this transformation.
Together, we are building a Kenya of hope, dignity, and opportunity. Let us remain united in purpose, bold in action, and confident in our future.
Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the Republic of Kenya.
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