President William Ruto has warned that more than two million jobs could be at risk if the opposition wins the 2027 general election, making employment and healthcare key battlegrounds in his bid for a second term.
Speaking during a church service at ACK Church in Kapsabet, Nandi County, on Sunday, October 18, Ruto accused his political rivals of planning to abolish major government programmes, including affordable housing and the Social Health Authority (SHA).
He argued that scrapping the initiatives would threaten jobs and reverse gains his administration says it has made in healthcare and economic development.
“Those competing with us will take us back. They are saying that they will scrap affordable housing. I don’t know where all these over one million youths will go to,” Ruto said.
The President cited more than 1.1 million jobs linked to the affordable housing programme, 680,000 overseas employment opportunities and 300,000 digital jobs as opportunities that could be jeopardised under an opposition administration.
However, the figures were presented as part of Ruto’s argument against his rivals. The speech did not provide an independent breakdown of the jobs or evidence that all would disappear if the programmes were discontinued.
Ruto defends SHA and housing programme
Ruto also warned that scrapping SHA would leave households struggling to meet medical expenses, as he sought to defend the government’s changes to the health system.
“They are saying they will remove SHA so that people can go back to selling cows, doing harambees, and selling their property to pay hospital bills,” he said.
The President urged voters to examine the policies of those seeking office rather than base their decisions on political rhetoric.
“We must use our freedom and right to choose in a democracy to choose a better vision. Choose a better plan. Choose a better manifesto. That is the essence of democracy,” he said.
Ruto also criticised opposition leaders, describing them as lacking a clear vision and agenda.
His remarks came as political leaders began positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 election. The speech did not identify specific opposition proposals or provide details of how a future administration would handle the housing programme and SHA.
Mudavadi, Ichung’wah rally support for Ruto
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi backed the President, accusing opposition leaders of making promises they could not fulfil.
Mudavadi questioned whether a politician who had served as secretary-general of the Orange Democratic Movement could establish and organise a new political party within six months.
He also told residents that Kenya was in safe hands under Ruto’s leadership.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, meanwhile, said residents of the Mt Kenya region would honour their pledge to support the President for a second term.
“We said Uhuru kumi and Ruto kumi. That is a journey we started in 2013. We have already given Ruto his first term. We still have five years for a second term,” Ichung’wah said.
He urged residents to maintain their support for the administration as the country approaches the next election.
President outlines plans for healthcare and education
Beyond politics, Ruto announced measures aimed at improving the delivery of medicines to public health facilities. He said the government had streamlined operations at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) to ensure drugs reached hospitals on time.
He also said strengthening dispensaries and health centres would help reduce congestion at referral hospitals.
On education, the President announced plans to revise funding arrangements for students joining universities, colleges, technical institutions and Kenya Medical Training Colleges from January.
He said financial difficulties should not prevent qualified students from pursuing higher education.
“Let the education of our children not be based on the money the parent has but the ability of the child to learn,” he said.
Ruto also pointed to changes in the dairy sector, saying farmers were receiving Sh65 per litre of milk, compared with Sh35 in 2022. He directed dairy processors to pay farmers by the fifth day of each month.
The President defended the housing levy, saying it had helped fund construction projects, and reported that more than 6,000 kilometres of roads were under construction.
He called for cooperation between the national government, county administrations and citizens, saying development should benefit Kenyans regardless of their political affiliations.
As the 2027 election approaches, Ruto is presenting housing, healthcare, employment and infrastructure as central achievements of his administration. His claims about the number of jobs at stake, however, are likely to remain part of the wider political debate over the programmes’ impact and whether they should continue under a future government.
