Ruto to ensure we catch up with Singapore? Another joke, please

President William Ruto during a meeting with Kiambu county grassroots leaders at State House, Nairobi, on August 27, 2025. [PCS]

President William Ruto on Tuesday declared once again that he is going to go out of his way to "make sure Kenya catches up with Singapore." On the surface, his statement, like many others made in recent times sounded the kind of bold, inspiring rhetoric that leaders love to serve us.

But when you peel back the layers, his words feel less like a serious development strategy and more like a cruel joke on a weary citizenry that has been fed the same promises, recycled for over 60 years now. And while Dr Ruto is not the first leader to invoke this comparison, as president, he has preached it more frequently than his four predecessors.