NAIROBI – President William Ruto has called on national leaders to stop fueling unrest among young Kenyans and instead support job creation efforts aimed at addressing unemployment.
Speaking at State House Nairobi during a meeting with 500 church leaders from the Federation of Evangelical and Indigenous Christian Churches of Africa, the President said political incitement has fueled recent tensions and must stop. “Inciting young people into chaos is dangerous and undermines national unity,” Ruto stated. “The solution is not in protests. It’s in work and opportunity.”
Ruto outlined what he described as targeted programs his administration has launched to expand employment opportunities for young Kenyans. These include the Affordable Housing Program, the digital jobs initiative through Jitume Labs, and foreign labor placements under bilateral agreements.
“In just two years, 400,000 Kenyan youth have secured jobs abroad through structured labor mobility programs,” he said. “We are formalizing agreements to ensure they work in dignified conditions and have access to assistance abroad.”
Locally, Ruto said 320,000 individuals are engaged in housing construction projects, while 180,000 are earning income through digital platforms. He insisted that these numbers reflect steady progress toward solving youth unemployment.
“The creation of jobs is a long-term task. It can’t be completed in a day, but we are on the right path,” Ruto said. He added that without the 900,000 job placements made so far, the scale of recent protests would have been much worse.
The President also responded to critics questioning his development agenda and challenged them to offer concrete alternatives. “They avoid real issues and prefer slogans,” he said. “I’m ready for 2027. I have a clear record to present.”
Citing economic data, Ruto said inflation has dropped from 9.6 percent in 2022 to 3.8 percent. The shilling, Ruto noted, has stabilized at about KSh130 against the dollar, down from KSh165. He also said the Central Bank’s dollar reserves had risen to $10.8 billion, from $7 billion when he took office.
“Kenya was listed among six African countries at risk of default. We didn’t default. We acted fast,” he said.
On agriculture, the President pointed to subsidies on fertilizer, which he said helped reduce maize prices from KSh240 to between KSh100 and KSh160, depending on the brand. He said coffee farmers now earn between KSh110 and KSh150 per kilogram, compared to KSh70 previously. In the sugar sector, he reported an increase in output from 500,000 metric tons in 2023 to 800,000 last year, with expectations of hitting 900,000 tons this year.
“If we maintain this pace, Kenya will become a net sugar exporter within three years,” Ruto said.
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