President William Ruto has challenged the opposition to present alternative plans and a clear vision for Kenya ahead of the 2027 General Election, saying the contest should be about an agenda to improve the lives of Kenyans rather than personalities, slogans or political titles.
Speaking in Kisumu during his five-day tour of the Nyanza region on Monday, Ruto defended his administration’s record, citing projects and reforms in infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare and the economy as evidence of progress.
“This nation has raised the bar of the contest for leadership in Kenya. It is not about personalities. It is about the people of Kenya,” Ruto said.
“It is not about empty rhetoric, slogans and titles. It is about an agenda, a plan and a mechanism of changing the lives of the people of Kenya.”
The President challenged opposition leaders who have spoken of forming an alternative government to explain what they would do differently if elected.
“You have talked about a united opposition and opposition unity. You have gone ahead and formed what you call an alternative government,” he said. “You were asked: What is your alternative vision? What is your alternative plan? What is your alternative agenda?”
Ruto said his administration had made progress in agriculture, including registering farmers on a digital platform and reducing the price of fertiliser from Sh7,000 to Sh2,000.
He said sugarcane farmers were now being paid every month compared to when they were paid after six months, with workers in sugar mills also being paid monthly.
He also said Kenya could become a net exporter of sugar within three years, citing reforms in the sugar industry.
On infrastructure, Ruto said Sh23 billion had been set aside for road works covering about 270 kilometres in Kisumu, while several stalled sugar companies, including Chemelil, Muhoroni, Miwani and Sony, had been revived.
He also defended his economic record, saying the government had reduced inflation, stabilised the exchange rate and increased foreign reserves to twice their 2022 level.
The President’s remarks came as he began a five-day tour of Nyanza, where he is inspecting and commissioning several multi-billion-shilling government projects while seeking to strengthen his political support in the region ahead of 2027.
In Kisumu, he was scheduled to inspect the Sh16.7 billion Mamboleo Junction-Miwani-Chemelil-Muhoroni-Kipsitet Highway, the Sh1.1 billion Rabuor-Chiga road and commission the Sh7.5 billion Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Project.
He was also expected to commission the Kisumu West sub-county police headquarters at Otonglo and the Sh314 million Kisumu International Airport tower before a meet-the-people tour in Jua Kali.
On Tuesday, Ruto is scheduled to move to Siaya, where he will inspect the Dhogoye Bridge project in Usenge, Bondo, tour Ugenya, Rarieda and Alego Usonga constituencies and commission projects including the ongoing Siaya Stadium, before addressing a rally at Ahindi Gardens.
The tour will shift to Migori on Wednesday, where the President is expected to inspect the Stella-Sibuoche-Gogo road in Uriri and the Kanyawanga-Kwoyo-Madiaba road in Awendo, alongside other national government projects in Kuria West and Suna East.
He will conclude the tour in Homa Bay on Thursday, where he is expected to inspect Economic Stimulus Programme markets in Misambi, Kendu Bay and Kijabe, as well as the Sindo-KMTC access road, town roads in Suba South and the Junction-Kodiyo-Pier road in Homa Bay Town.