President William Ruto has come under intense scrutiny for what critics describe as a pattern of relaunching development projects that were originally initiated by his predecessor, retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The accusations, which have dominated headlines in recent weeks, show how Ruto is merely repurposing old initiatives as part of his ongoing nationwide development tour.
In response to the growing criticism, State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed issued a statement defending the President’s actions.
Mohamed argued that Ruto’s commitment to completing all stalled projects, including those launched before he took office, is a sign of responsible leadership.
“It’s a mark of responsibility for a President to ensure that all feasible projects, including those that stalled before his election, are completed. This commitment is actually part of the pledges President Ruto made in the Kenya Kwanza manifesto, the very document that got him elected,” Mohamed wrote in a post on X on Saturday, August 17, 2024.
The spokesperson went on to explain that Ruto’s development tours across the country are not only about launching new projects but also about inspecting ongoing ones and reviving those that have stalled.
“So yes, during his development tours across the country, the President will continue to implement the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, including launching new projects, inspecting ongoing ones, and, where necessary, reviving and completing those that stalled before his election—ALL FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE P****E! Have a great and responsible weekend, folks,” Mohamed added.
Uhuru-era projects
Despite these explanations, the criticism has not abated.
Since the beginning of August, Ruto has relaunched several projects that were initially unveiled by Uhuru Kenyatta during his time in office.
In the Mt. Kenya region, for instance, Ruto recently launched the Iriari and Kanyuambora Irrigation project on August 8, 2024.
This same project was first launched by former Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki on March 8, 2021, with an expected completion timeline of one and a half years.
Similarly, during his tour of Murang’a, Ruto launched the Murang’a Kiriaini road, a project that began in 2019 but stalled in 2020.
The Ksh800 million Kaigonji irrigation project in Tetu, which Ruto commissioned on August 12, 2024, started in 2017 and was completed in April 2024.
In August 2023, Ruto relaunched several projects, including the Ksh15 million Githurai water supply project, which was first launched in May 2020, and the Githurai modern market, originally launched in 2019.
Other projects that were launched during Uhuru’s administration but have been relaunched by Ruto include the Ksh1.1 billion Kagio Water supply and the Ksh60 million Othaya Water Sewerage plant.
Nyanza
This pattern of Ruto relaunching projects has extended beyond the Mt. Kenya region.
Since the beginning of this month, the President’s developmental tours in other regions including Nyanza and the Coast have seen him launch projects that were already launched by Uhuru whom he assisted as the Deputy President.
During his recent visit, Ruto broke ground for the construction of the Kisii Cáncer Treatment Centre, a project valued at about Ksh3 billion.
Ruto revealed that he had sourced the funding for the project during a visit to Saudi Arabia last year, with the facility expected to be completed within 18 months.
In reality, the same project was initiated by Uhuru in 2019. The retired President announced that his administration had borrowed Ksh2 billion from the Saudi Arabia administration for the construction of the same facility.
Ruto also launched the construction of an interchange at Daraja Mbili in Kisii town which was first launched on June 3, 2016, by senior officials from the State Department of Transport, Infrastructure and Housing Development.
Coast
The Coast region has also seen its share of relaunches.
On July 26, 2024, Ruto launched the Ksh4 billion Baricho water works project in Malindi, a project that had already been commissioned by Uhuru five years ago.
Additionally, Ruto relaunched the construction of phase one of Shimoni port on November 3, 2023, a project initiated by Uhuru during his tours of Shimoni in 2019 and 2020.
As the debate over these relaunches continues, it remains to be seen how Ruto’s administration will navigate the criticism and whether these projects will ultimately deliver the promised benefits to the Kenyan citizenry.