President William Ruto has reaffirmed his commitment to advancing his bottom-up economic transformation agenda, admitting that the task is far from easy and insisting he is eager to complete his term and leave office.
During a meeting with chiefs at State House, Nairobi, a visibly agitated Ruto took time to rebuke critics who have repeatedly questioned government projects.
“Kama hiyo tumefanya ni kwa miaka miwili, mnieleze, kwa miaka kumi Kenya itakuwa inakaa namna gani? Na miaka ishirini?” he challenged, after outlining several of his administration’s achievements.
Responding to claims that he intends to extend his presidency beyond the constitutionally allowed 10 years, Ruto dismissed the accusations as baseless.
"Watu wengine walienda wakasema ati nimesema nata kuwa rais kwa miaka 20. Kwani mimi ni wazimu? Watu wanafikiri hii kazi ya rais ni kazi rahisi, ya kupigiwa kelele kila siku. Mimi nangojea siku nitatoka niende, mwingine achukue asonge." ~ PRESIDENT WILLIAM RUTO. pic.twitter.com/TvsHO0CI76
— Kenya's Update (@keit65019) December 2, 2025
“Unajua nilisema hivyo juzi, watu wengine wako na tabia mbaya wakaenda kusema huyu mtu amesema atakuwa rais miaka ishirini,” he said.
“Kwani mimi ni wazimu? Kwani watu wanafikiri hii kazi ya rais ni rahisi? Na kupigiwa kelele kila siku? Mimi ninangojea siku nitatoka hapa niende, mtu mwingine achukue,” he added, drawing laughter and cheers from the room.
The meeting brought together chiefs from across the country, marking the culmination of the Jukwaa La Usalama tours led by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
Ruto also used the platform to defend his flagship Affordable Housing Project, which has been at the centre of intense national debate.
The programme targets the construction of 200,000 units annually and one million units by 2027. Currently, an estimated 140,000 units are under construction across 44 counties, with the government claiming the initiative has created around 330,000 jobs.
The debate over presidential term limits is not new. Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei previously introduced a motion proposing that the presidential term be extended from five to seven years. The motion, recently gazetted to allow for public participation, argues that elected officials need more time to execute their mandates effectively.
Cherargei further contends that a president loses significant time forming and operationalising a cabinet, with early months consumed by appointments, swearing-in ceremonies and administrative setup.
His proposal, however, has been met with widespread public outrage and strong resistance from many political leaders.