Election gamble: Why Ruto is defying IMF as funding hangs in the balance

President William Ruto’s government is resisting International Monetary Fund (IMF) demands for a painful debt restructuring, sources familiar with the negotiations told The Financial Standard, setting the stage for a high-stakes confrontation with the global lender of last resort just 18 months before a general election.

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President William Ruto addresses Rarieda residents during the thanksgiving ceremony of Health PS Ouma Oluga in Siaya County, on March 8, 2026.
[Rodgers Otiso, Standard] 

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