NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 22 — President William Ruto has dismissed growing media scrutiny over the achievements he highlighted during his State of the Nation Address, insisting fact-checking will not derail what he describes as his irreversible mission to transform Kenya into a developed nation.
Speaking during a fundraising service in Kisii, the President said debates over statistics were secondary to what he termed as visible progress across the country.
“Arguing about which number is the right statistic is not relevant. At least we have settled one thing — that something is happening in our country. Transformation is happening. We can argue about the numbers, the statistics, and this or that, but we all agree that we are moving forward as a country,” Ruto said.
On Thursday, Ruto reiterated that his flagship Housing Project will create nearly 600,000 new jobs in 2026. However, official data on completed houses and job creation presents sharp contradictions, raising questions about the project’s actual progress and economic impact.
The President also took a swipe at opposition leaders, claiming they lack a coherent vision for the country.
“I saw some friends complaining that citizens have said they don’t have brains. Now I want to ask them — okay, let’s say you have brains — why don’t you show it? Explain your policy to us. But if you have no policy, no plan, no agenda, and then you tell us you have brains, what are those brains for?” Ruto challenged the opposition.
