President William Ruto has declared that he wants to be remembered as the President who united Kenya through equitable development, placing his record in infrastructure, agriculture, housing and public services at the centre of his political pitch ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Dr Ruto says his legacy will be defined by whether every region benefits from government investment, regardless of ethnicity or political affiliation, arguing that his performance in office will determine how future generations judge both his leadership and the community he comes from.
“I want to make sure that all communities are reached in terms of development and that no community complains of being left out. People should be proud of this community because of me, and I want to set a legacy as a President from this community who united all communities,” he said in the local dialect.
“I must protect the name of this community so that even in future, when someone from this community wants to vie for the top seat, they can be proud of us, knowing that I did a good job during my two terms in office,” he added.
The President spoke during a tour of Baringo County on Thursday, where he inspected development projects in Kabarnet and outlined investments in roads, affordable housing, education, electricity and water. His remarks formed part of a broader political message during visits to the North Rift, where he has sought to present his administration’s development record as evidence that it has delivered on its 2022 election pledges.
Dr Ruto has increasingly used the slogan “Usawa ni Sawa” to defend his approach to resource allocation, insisting that no part of the country has been neglected. He has also challenged his opponents to offer alternative development plans instead of, as he puts it, mobilising political support through anger, ethnic divisions and criticism of his government.
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“No part of this republic will be left out in development. We are telling our competitors not to sell us anger or hate because we have no market for that. I have a plan, and I went to the people of Kenya in 2022 with a plan and an agenda,” he said.
In Kabarnet, the President laid the foundation stone for Kabarnet University College, a project he said would expand access to higher education in Baringo County. He promised that the institution would receive a charter in June next year and directed the contractor to accelerate construction.
“I promised that because the late President Daniel arap Moi built Moi University in Eldoret, I would give back by building a university in Kabarnet. That is why today I have laid the foundation stone for its construction,” he said.
The proposed university has been the subject of debate in Baringo since the advent of devolution in 2013, with competing proposals identifying Kabarnet, Chemeron and Kapsoo as possible sites. There have also been calls to convert Baringo Technical Institute into a university.
The foundation stone marks a significant step in the county’s pursuit of a public university, although the President’s promised timeline will depend on the progress of construction and the process required to establish the institution.
Dr Ruto also inspected Kabarnet Stadium, which he said was expected to be completed in December and host the Jamhuri Day celebrations. More than 450 affordable housing units are under construction in the town, with funding set aside for a further 1,000 units.
President William Ruto (centre), accompanied by Lands and Housing Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome second (right), Elgeyo Marakwet County Governor Wisley Rotich second (left) Elgeyo Marakwet Woman Representative Caroline Ngelechei (left) and other leaders during inspection of Chepkorio Modern Market in Keiyo South Constituency, Elgeyo Marakwet County, which is under construction on October 15, 2026.
On infrastructure, the President cited the 70-kilometre Timboroa-Poror-Sirwa-Ochii road, for which he said Sh2.5 billion had been allocated. He also pointed to ongoing works on the Kabartonjo-Barwessa and Kinyach-Kipsaraman roads, adding that the government had set aside Sh22 billion for road projects covering about 300 kilometres in Baringo.
The administration is also pursuing the second phase of the Kirandich Dam project to improve water supply to Kabarnet and surrounding areas.
During an earlier visit to Eldama Ravine, Dr Ruto launched the Timboroa-Seguton-Moringwo-Poror-Magrib-Sirwa-Lawina-Ochii road, flagged off a last-mile electricity connectivity project and commissioned facilities serving education and public administration.
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In neighbouring Elgeyo Marakwet County, he cited allocations of Sh12 billion for affordable housing, Sh20 billion for roads and Sh1 billion to connect 10,000 households to the national electricity grid.
The President also defended the Roads Maintenance Levy Fund, dismissing calls for its abolition and arguing that it was necessary to maintain existing roads and finance new construction.
“This country requires equal distribution of resources and development, and the Road Maintenance Levy Fund has helped us fix damaged roads and construct new ones. Those individuals who oppose the fund do not understand the suffering of Kenyans,” he said during the tour of Chepkorio.
Dr Ruto warned that scrapping the levy would undermine efforts to address the country’s road infrastructure deficit. The government has relied on the fund to support road maintenance and construction and has also used part of its proceeds to settle Sh68.59 billion in pending bills owed to road contractors.
Beyond infrastructure, the President cited agricultural reforms, healthcare and employment programmes as evidence of his administration’s economic agenda.
He said the government had reduced the price of subsidised fertiliser to Sh2,000 and cut maize seed prices by half, measures he said were intended to improve agricultural productivity and strengthen food security.
“Agriculture remains the economic lifeline of many households, and that is why my administration has lowered fertiliser prices to Sh2,000 and slashed maize seed prices by half to improve yields and strengthen food security,” he said.
He also defended affordable housing as a pillar of the government’s economic transformation agenda, arguing that the programme would expand home ownership, create jobs and stimulate the construction sector. He cited ongoing healthcare reforms and changes under the Competency-Based Curriculum as other areas in which the administration was pursuing its campaign commitments.
On youth employment, Dr Ruto said more than one million young people had secured work through affordable housing projects, while about 300,000 had obtained digital jobs and 680,000 had found employment overseas.
President William Ruto flags off the Sh912.1 million rural electrification connectivity in Eldama Ravine on October 14, 2026 to benefit more than 3,629 households in Baringo County.
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He said the government planned to increase the number of young people working in affordable housing to 2.5 million, expand digital employment to 2.5 million and raise overseas employment to 1.5 million next year.
The figures and targets are central to the administration’s argument that economic opportunities are expanding under its development agenda.
In Elgeyo Marakwet, the President also issued an ultimatum to the new investor tasked with reviving the Kenya Fluorspar Company in Kerio Valley, Keiyo South Constituency, demanding that the facility resume operations within eight months or the investor leave.
“The investor has only eight months to have the company roar back to life or ship out,” he said.
In February 2024, the government signed a Sh4.8 billion agreement with a United Kingdom-based consortium comprising Soy Fluorspar Limited, Fujax Limited and Fujax East African Limited to revive the mining operation. The National Government holds a 15 per cent stake under the agreement.
The mine, which previously supported more than 1,500 families directly and indirectly, ceased operations almost two decades ago following a global slump in fluorspar prices. Its revival is expected to restore economic activity and employment opportunities in the area, although the outcome will depend on the investor’s ability to complete the process.
Dr Ruto has used the slogan “Usawa ni Sawa” to counter claims that some regions benefit disproportionately from government projects. He cited efforts to improve returns for coffee and tea farmers in Central Kenya as evidence that his administration was also investing beyond its traditional political base.
“I have not left any part of the country behind. Even in Central Kenya, I have worked to ensure that coffee and tea farmers earn better returns from their crops. The same applies to other parts of the country,” he said.
The President has challenged the opposition to present its own plans for addressing unemployment, infrastructure gaps and other economic challenges, accusing rival leaders of seeking power without a coherent policy agenda.
“Opposition want leadership without responsibility, power without a plan,” he said.
He maintained that his administration was delivering on the promises made during the 2022 campaign and expressed confidence that voters would assess its record at the next General Election.
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Florah Koech, Barnabas Bii and Ezra Nanjendo