Ruto Defends Record on Mashujaa Day, Launches Achieng Oneko Biography

Kenya, 20 October 2026 - President William Ruto on Tuesday stated that his administration had asked Kenyans to judge it by ideas and progress, as he defended its record while presiding over the 2026 Mashujaa Day celebrations.

“Kenyans entrusted us with responsibility, not entitlement,” Dr Ruto stated.

The President said Kenyans demand results and that citizens retain the right to question and challenge the administration. It was the fifth Mashujaa Day he had presided over, and he said he was proud of what the Kenya Kwanza administration had achieved.

"Over the last four years, we have grown our economy and stabilised our exchange rate," he said.

Ruto said inflation was under control and expanded access to affordable credit had opened up the capitals market. The Head of State said the foreign direct investment had more than doubled. He noted that Kenya is now the seventh-largest economy in Africa. He said KSh 98 billion had been advanced without collateral.

On agriculture, the President said 8.9 million farmers had been reached in an effort to eliminate middlemen and cartels from the sector. He said the price of fertiliser had fallen from KSh 7,000 in 2002 to KSh 2,000 through the government subsidy programme.

Maize production, he said, has increased from 34.3 million bags in 2022 to 71 million bags in the year 2025.

"Maize imports have declined from 9.9 million to 3.3 million bags," he said.

In the sugar sector, he said farmers are now paid weekly for the cane they deliver, with a bonus to follow later this year.

He also spoke of the cost of artificial insemination, which he said had been lowered.

Ruto said the government had expanded international markets for Kenyan agricultural products, opening new markets in China and signing deals with the United Arab Emirates.

In education, the President pointed to the student-centred funding model in higher education and the ballooning enrolment in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVETs) across the country to train youths to gain meaningful job opportunities.

He also commended those who rose above partisan interests to join the Broad-Based Government. He was referring to the political dynamics after the 2024 Gen Z protests where he included the experts from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in his Cabinet.