President William Ruto made many promises to Kenyans while on the campaign trail and after being sworn in as the Head of State on September 13, 2022.
The President and Cabinet drew a framework to fulfil some promises amid pressure from the opposition led by Azimio La Umoja leader, Raila Odinga, to lower the cost of living.
Kenyans.co.ke tracked 9 promises Ruto made to the nation and has delivered or are near fulfilment.
Credit Reference Bureau (CRB)
On September 28, 2022, the Head of State announced that at least 4 million Kenyans would be delisted from the CRB.
“Four million Kenyans have been excluded from any formal borrowing because of blacklisting. They have been left at the mercy of shylocks,” he explained the rationale behind his directive.
On November 14, 2022, the Central Bank of Kenya confirmed that it had started actualising the President’s directive.
“The framework seeks to improve the credit standing of mobile phone digital borrowers whose loans are non-performing and has been reported as such to CRB,” CBK stated then.
Moderna Vaccine Factory
On April 5, 2023, Ruto announced that Kenya would benefit from a Ksh66 billion Moderna vaccine facility constructed in Nairobi.
Moderna’s website indicates that an agreement with the Kenyan Government was finalised, and construction is in the pipeline.
Planting 5 billion trees
A month into his presidency, Ruto announced an ambitious plan to plant 5 billion trees in five years.
"We have already taken the policy direction that we are going to plant 5 billion trees in the next five years and another 10 billion trees in the next ten years,” the President stated, noting that the program was part of his climate change advocacy.
The President is on track to fulfilling that promise through the Special Presidential Forestry and Rangeland Restoration Programme, which has planted millions of trees countrywide.
Construction of 100 dams
Through Water Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome, Ruto, on November 1, 2022, promised that his administration would construct 100 dams to eradicate hunger in Kenya.
Two weeks later, on November 14, 2022, the United Kingdom committed Ksh425 billion to help Ruto achieve his vision for a food-secure Kenya.
Digitisation of government services
On November 24, 2022, President Ruto promised that by December 2023, all government services would be digitised.
“All government services will be on a digital platform by December next year. You will be able to transact and pay your bills right from wherever you are,” he promised.
As of March 2023, 2,800 services government were accessible online from only 300 when Ruto took over.
“Our endeavour to transit all government services to digital services is on course. We started with 300 services and three months down the line, we have 2,800 government services online, and we are on course to ensure that in six months, all government services will be available online on a digital platform.
“We will leverage on automation and technology to provide efficient government services to all citizens from wherever they will be without having to queue or wait in any office because government services will be available online,” Ruto stated.
He assured that the government will leverage automation and technology to digitalise all other services before the year ends.
Internet in shopping centres
It seemed like a pipe dream when Ruto promised Kenyans that he would provide free internet to shopping centres nationwide.
“We want to make sure that all the 29,000 shopping centres will have internet and will have a hotspot through rolling out of 100,000 km of fibre optic cable,” Ruto promised on December 6, 2022.
The government has already set up 17 hotspots within Nairobi County. Other regions currently enjoying the free internet include; Ahero, Kapsabet, Bondo, Embu, and Nyeri.
No tax on cooking gas
On February 24, 2023, Ruto promised Kenyans that he would remove the tax on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas.
“We will ensure that the gas prices reduce by removing all taxes on cooking gas so that every Kenyan household can have access,” he stated.
The President has already kickstarted the process through the Finance Bill 2023, which will come into effect on Thursday, January 15.
Clean up Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA)
During a round table with journalists at the State House, Nairobi, on Sunday, May 14, Ruto vowed to review corruption cases at KEMSA.
"I am doing something about it. You will see results. I want to give you my commitment, I will clean up KEMSA, whatever it takes, whatever it costs," he stated.
A day later, the President revoked the appointment of Josephine Mburu as the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards and dissolved the entire KEMSA Board.
Probe Shakahola Tragedy
On Monday, May 15, an emotional Ruto apologised to Kenyans for the government’s failure to prevent the Shakahola massacre, which led to the death of 250 Kenyans.
“I am taking responsibility that, as President, this should never have happened. The promise I am giving to Kenyans is that we will get to the bottom of this matter,” he promised then.
True to his word, the President appointed a commission led by Justice Lesiit to probe the Shakahola massacre.
The Commission is awaiting a petition filed by Azimio to be determined before commencing the inquiry. Controversial pastor, Paul Mackenzie, accused of orchestrating the massacre was also arrested and arraigned.
