Ruto: Kenya must produce more than it consumes and sell more of what it makes

Kenya, November 04, 2026 - President William Ruto says Kenya should stop depending so much on goods made elsewhere. Speaking at the Kenya Industrialisation Summit in Nairobi on November 4, 2026, he said the country should make more of what it uses and sell more of what it makes.

His message was simple: a rich country is not known by what it buys, but by what it can produce. He wants more Kenyan factories, more local materials and more Kenyan goods sold across Africa.

This idea is called industrialisation. It means building industries that turn raw materials into finished goods. For example, instead of exporting raw hides, Kenya could make leather shoes. Instead of importing furniture, local carpenters and factories could supply homes, schools and offices.

Ruto pointed to housing as one example. He said 97% of materials used in local housing projects are sourced in Kenya. He also said cement consumption has grown by 20%, and that Jua Kali artisans have access to contracts worth Sh61 billion through the affordable housing programme.

For a furniture maker in a small workshop, that could mean steady orders instead of waiting for one-off jobs. For a cement seller, it could mean more customers. For young workers, it could mean jobs in transport, construction and manufacturing.

But making goods in Kenya does not always mean they will be cheaper or better than imports. Some imported goods may still cost less because other countries produce them at a larger scale. Local firms may also struggle with high power costs, poor roads, limited finance and taxes.

Ruto said the dairy sector shows what is possible. He said farmers now receive Sh70 per litre of milk, up from Sh32, while consumer prices have not changed much. He said milk production has risen by 36%. These are claims by the President and still need independent verification.

He also pointed to leather and footwear. Kenya has many livestock and could make more shoes locally. He said security agencies already prefer locally made boots, and government wants local firms to make shoes for schoolchildren. That could create jobs, but local makers must produce enough shoes, at the right price and quality.