President William Ruto delivered a powerful and emotive address at Nyayo National Stadium during Kenya’s 62nd Jamhuri Day celebrations, declaring that the nation now stands at the threshold of its “third and final liberation” – economic freedom – after conquering colonial rule and one-party dictatorship.
Speaking beneath the same flagpole where the Union Jack was lowered exactly 62 years ago, the President paid glowing tribute to Kenya’s freedom fighters whose blood and sacrifice delivered political independence, and to the second generation of reformers – led by the late Raila Odinga – who fought for multiparty democracy and delivered the 2010 Constitution. He then called for a minute’s silence in honour of the former Prime Minister, who passed away two months ago, describing him as “a stalwart whose courage, resilience and belief in the power of the people shaped defining chapters of our national story.”
President Ruto told the thousands in attendance and millions watching nationwide that while Kenya has secured political sovereignty and expanded democratic space, the deeper promise of the Constitution – economic and social justice for every citizen – remains unfulfilled. “For too long, stagnation has returned in cycles, negativity has been normalised, and too many have been asked to make peace with mediocrity,” he said, adding that the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda launched three years ago was designed to correct the “paradox of the marginalisation of the majority” and place ordinary Kenyans at the centre of national progress.
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Highlighting achievements of the past three years, the Head of State announced that maize production has surged and unga prices have fallen; 100,000 teachers will be hired by January in the largest recruitment drive in history; 28 million Kenyans are now registered under universal healthcare (up from 8 million); over 240,000 affordable homes are under construction; the Hustler Fund has disbursed KSh 80 billion and restored creditworthiness to seven million previously blacklisted citizens; and nearly 500,000 youth have secured overseas jobs while two million have been trained in digital skills.
Looking ahead, President Ruto unveiled an ambitious KSh 5 trillion roadmap to turn Kenya into a first-world economy, anchored on three pillars: massive modern infrastructure (including 2,500 km of dualled highways and extension of the SGR to Malaba), large-scale irrigation through 50 mega dams and thousands of smaller water projects to bring 2.5 million new acres under production and end food import dependency, and scaling energy generation to 13,300 MW within seven years. He revealed that Cabinet will on Monday approve the National Infrastructure Fund and Sovereign Wealth Fund to mobilise domestic capital, attract ten times more private investment for every public shilling, and end the era of funding development through excessive borrowing or taxation.
In a stirring conclusion, the President declared: “Our founding fathers defeated colonial domination. The generation after broke the chains of dictatorship. The onus is on this generation – and particularly this administration – to achieve economic freedom where effort is rewarded, opportunity is shared, dignity is guaranteed, and no Kenyan is left behind.” He urged Kenyans to rebuild national conscience, reject corruption and tribalism, and embrace patriotism, integrity and excellence, saying: “It is time to step up, from the bottom up, charging forward full-steam to economic freedom and taking Kenya to a first-world economy.”
President Ruto closed with Christmas greetings and prayers for peace, unity and safety for every Kenyan family.
