What You Need to Know
President William Ruto’s recent project launches across Kenya are central to his re-election strategy for 2027. His tours have sparked debate over the sustainability and funding of these initiatives, with critics questioning the feasibility of numerous announced projects. As Ruto navigates these challenges, he faces scrutiny from both supporters and detractors regarding his promises and their real
Africa-Press – Kenya. President William Ruto’s whirlwind tour of the country launching projects has come to define his re-election strategy.
Social media is buzzing with questions about the sustainability of the projects he either launches or announces.
Whenever he tours a region, the President seldom says no to any request from local leaders, who include governors, MPs, MCAs, aspirants, women and youth leaders.
The most recent case was his four-day tour of Kisii and Nyamira counties, where he launched projects and announced new ones valued at more than Sh45 billion.
In Nyamira, Ruto announced Sh15 billion for housing projects and student hostels, Sh1 billion for the upgrade of Nyamira County Hospital and Sh900 million for a new stadium.
He also announced Sh500 million for Nyamira University at Kiabonyoru, which he launched for the third time in three years, two ESP markets at Ekerenyo and Ikonge at Sh70 million each and Sh300 million, and the planned Ikonge-SGR station.
This was in addition to several road projects, some which he said had already been advertised, including the Chabera-Nyamusi-Nyamaiya and Tombe-Isinta-Gitaru roads, as well as the Keumbu-Kiendege-Kemera road that is ongoing.
In Kisii, he launched a Sh700 million rehabilitation and expansion of the Kisii water supply network, announced Sh18 billion for affordable housing and hostels, launched the construction of KMTCs in Nyamarambe, Nyamache and Ogembo, launched several road projects and affirmed that plans to upgrade Suneka Airstrip into a fully operational airport.
Three days after Ruto left Kisii, a social media user took a picture of the Suneka Airstrip that showed the construction machinery had been removed from the site.
Some leaders now claim most of the projects launched fail to take off due to budgetary constraints.
“The Kiabonyoru University, for instance, has not been gazetted nor given a budget line. Where is this Sh500 million provision coming from? Which state department or agency was allocated these funds during the budget?” Borabu MP Patrick Osero, who skipped Ruto’s to Nyamira, asked.
“Kenya is now littered with Ruto ‘foundation stones’ for white elephant projects’,” former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando wrote on his X on April 18 as debate raged over Ruto’s several projects.
The President’s ambitious development initiatives and tours to launch them have often provided fodder for his critics to accuse him of launching ‘fake projects’, with his ex-deputy Rigathi Gachagua leading the choir.
A month ago, Gachagua tore into Ruto’s tour of Northern Kenya region, saying the region has suffered under development amidst several promises that the President has given to the region.
“Because William Ruto, you are part of the mess in the north through lies and fake promises, before you make other promises starting tomorrow, note that the promises you have made to the north in the last three years are running into trillions of shillings burdened in lies,” the DCP leader said.
In Isiolo, Gachagua said Ruto promised to upgrade the Isiolo‐Kulamawe‐Modogashe Road to bitumen standard on 11 April 2023. “Again, it remains a lie.”
He also said the Sh9.4 billion Isiolo‐Garissa Road is stalled and water and sewage infrastructure in Isiolo Town, costing Sh7.5 billion, has made no progress.
Last year, the President became an instant social media meme over ‘mastery’ of roads in North East Kenya as he castigated Kenyans whom he accuses of mocking him over his promise to construct the 750km Isiolo-Mandera road.
“I was in Northern Kenya, and I did announce a major road artery that will be constructed from Isiolo through Wajir, Mandera. And many people think it is a joke. In this country, sometimes we take matters of life and death as if it is a joke,” Ruto said then.
Ruto’s speech was twisted into all manner of memes and videos, going viral especially on TikTok.
“Tutatengeneza barabara itoke Mandera, ikuje Ramu, ikuje Garre, ikuje El-wak, ikuje Kobo, ikuje pale Kotulo, ikuje Tarbat, ipitie hapa Wajir, iende Samatan, iteremke Modogashe, ifike Isiolo, iende Nairobi.”
The President used last week’s three-day state visit to Italy to ostensibly reply to his critics urging Kenyans living in the diaspora to be cautious about relying on social media for news about developments in the country.
“You read a lot of stories on social media, most which is fake, misinformation, three quarters of it is disinformation,” Ruto said. “It is good to get a correct picture of where we are as a country.”
He encouraged Kenyans abroad to seek verified sources of information in order to understand the country’s progress more accurately, adding that he was proud of the reforms and developments achieved under his administration.
“I am very proud of the progress that we have made,” he said. “When I made commitments to Kenyans during the campaign, many people thought I over promised. They actually told me as much, and some of them were sympathising with me.”
“One bishop told me it is understandable for one to make promises for the sake of getting votes, and said you must not keep all of them,” he said. “And I remember telling him, I intend to make every commitment I made to Kenyans.”
Other key projects include the highly anticipated Sh170 billion project launched by the President on November 28 last year, even as doubts linger if it will be complete by next year as promised.
Kenyans have also fished from the archives Ruto’s speech when he initiated the construction of the Narok International Airport in May 2025, with a target completion date aimed for March 2026, yet the deadline was not met.
“Naysayers crying ‘President lied on Narok Int’l Airport. Let ‘em whine; WE Narok residents know the FACTS,” Narok Senator Ledama Olekina wrote on X.
The Senator challenged the social media critics to visit the site before passing judgment.
“Runway at 60 per cent complete. Heavy Feb/March rains made construction impossible,” Olekina said.
“Terminal building? Narok county’s responsibility, not Ruto’s. None of you social media critics have even visited the site! Facts are stubborn. If you hate President Ruto, go ahead and get in line; you won’t change the facts, and you won’t be the first to hate on him.”
The President has also been questioned over premises to upgrade the Kerenga Airstrip in Kericho county into a functional airport to boost regional economic growth, tea tourism and cargo transport.
Since taking office, President William Ruto has focused on ambitious development projects as part of his governance strategy. His administration has faced criticism over the execution and funding of these initiatives, with many questioning the viability of projects that have yet to materialize. The political landscape in Kenya is marked by a history of unfulfilled promises, making Ruto’s current efforts a focal point of public discourse and scrutiny. As the 2027 elections approach, the effectiveness of these projects will be pivotal in shaping voter sentiment and Ruto’s political future.
