By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 9 May 2026 - President William Ruto has pledged a sweeping transformation of Maseno School, announcing an ambitious programme of classroom construction, student accommodation and staffing support as the prestigious institution celebrated 120 years since its founding.
Speaking during anniversary celebrations in Kisumu on Saturday, President Ruto joined alumni, parents and well-wishers in a major fundraising drive aimed at modernising one of Kenya’s oldest and most revered learning institutions.
The President disclosed that 40 modern classrooms would be constructed at the school, a move expected to benefit at least 1,600 students. He said the first 20 classrooms would be completed before the end of the year, paving the way for the admission of an additional 800 learners in January 2027.
“There is no reason why this institution cannot accommodate 5,000 students and extend the benefits of its proud tradition to even more young Kenyans,” President Ruto declared.
Founded in 1906, Maseno School remains one of East Africa’s most distinguished academic institutions. Originally established to spread Christianity and educate the sons of African chiefs, the school has since evolved into a symbol of academic distinction and national heritage.
Yet despite its storied reputation, much of the school’s infrastructure still dates back to the missionary era more than a century ago. In response, President Ruto announced that Kenya’s Ministry of Lands and Housing would construct dormitories capable of housing 2,000 students, while the Ministry of Education would finance a new multipurpose hall.
The ceremony drew a host of senior government officials and dignitaries, among them Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba, Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, Anyang' Nyong'o, Anglican bishop emeritus Joseph Wasonga, Maseno Board chairman Ambrose Weda and alumni association chairman Joe Ager.
In a speech rich with historical reflection, President Ruto described Maseno School as inseparable from Kenya’s national story.
“Empires have risen and disappeared. Governments have changed and political tides have shifted, yet Maseno has endured,” he said. “For generations, it has produced leaders, scholars, clergy, scientists and patriots who have shaped Kenya and the wider East African region.”
Among the institution’s celebrated alumni are Kenya’s first Vice-President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, veteran politician Oburu Oginga, the late academic Barack Obama Sr., freedom fighter Achieng' Oneko, scientist Thomas Odhiambo, historian Bethwell Ogot and Archbishop Festo Olang'.
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The President toured several historic landmarks within the school compound, including the famed Oseno tree, beneath which the institution’s first six students reportedly began their studies, the residence once occupied by Jaramogi Oginga Odinga during his tenure as a teacher in the 1940s, and the original chapel constructed by missionaries in 1906.
“These are not merely buildings or monuments,” President Ruto remarked. “They are living chapters of Kenya’s history.”
He also praised the school’s long-standing reputation for discipline and academic consistency, observing that Maseno School has never experienced a student strike throughout its history — a rarity among leading Kenyan schools.
“Maseno’s enduring success is rooted in culture, discipline, institutional pride and an unwavering pursuit of excellence,” he said.
Turning to the government’s wider education agenda, President Ruto described education as a strategic national investment deserving sustained public funding.
He noted that Kenya’s education budget had increased from KSh 500 billion in 2022 to KSh 702 billion in the current financial year and would rise further to KSh 767 billion in the 2026/2027 fiscal year.
“Nearly 30% of the national budget is now devoted to education, among the highest allocations anywhere on the continent,” he said.
The President further stated that the government had recruited 100,000 teachers over the past three years, completed 23,000 classrooms and was currently constructing 1,600 science laboratories nationwide.
In a direct intervention to ease staffing pressures at Maseno School, he instructed the Teachers Service Commission to immediately absorb 25 of the 40 teachers presently employed by the school’s Board of Management, with the remaining positions to be filled later in the year.