ELDORET, Kenya – President William Ruto has declared 2026 a “watershed year” for Kenya, pledging accelerated economic execution, sweeping infrastructure investments and a tough national crackdown on alcohol and drug abuse as the country seeks to cut poverty and unemployment by half.
In his New Year’s address delivered on Wednesday night from State Lodge, Eldoret, President Ruto said the government had laid firm foundations over the past three years and was now ready to move from planning to large-scale implementation.
“For the first time in a long while, Kenya is not guessing. We are not drifting. We have set our targets and we now have a clear roadmap to make 2026 a defining year in our history,” he said.
Economic turnaround and social impact
Ruto said 2025 marked the year when tough economic decisions taken since 2023 began yielding results, citing improved agricultural output, expanding exports and rising earnings for farmers.
According to the President, maize production is on course to hit historic highs, tea earnings have surged, coffee prices have nearly doubled, while sugar output has risen as imports declined. Livestock, dairy, leather and meat exports have also grown steadily.
Beyond the numbers, Ruto framed the year as one of quiet social change for ordinary Kenyans, pointing to affordable housing and universal healthcare reforms as key milestones.
He said more than 29 million Kenyans are now registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA), with millions accessing quality healthcare without catastrophic out-of-pocket costs.
Ruto highlighted cases of patients whose expensive surgeries and cancer treatment were fully covered under SHA, describing them as evidence that deliberate policy choices were restoring dignity to vulnerable households.
Poverty, jobs and execution phase
Despite the gains, the President acknowledged persistent challenges, noting that nearly four in every ten Kenyans still live below the poverty line and unemployment remains high, especially among young people.
To address this, Ruto announced a clear national mission for the coming years: halve poverty and unemployment without overburdening taxpayers or accumulating unsustainable debt.
Central to this plan is the full operationalisation of the National Infrastructure Fund and the Sovereign Wealth Fund in January 2026.
The funds are expected to mobilise domestic resources, attract private capital, reduce reliance on borrowing and finance priority development projects.
“All proceeds from privatisation will be ring-fenced for infrastructure that generates long-term value,” he said.
Major projects lined up
Ruto said 2026 would be a year of execution at scale, unveiling a raft of flagship projects across the country.
They include the completion of the Talanta Sports Complex ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, the modernisation of the Bomas International Convention Centre, and accelerated tarmacking of 6,000 kilometres of roads already under construction.
The President also announced the start of construction of the Naivasha–Narok–Bomet–Nyamira–Kisumu–Malaba Standard Gauge Railway, the launch of the Galana-Kulalu Dam, expansion of irrigation to 2.5 million acres, and the development of a new world-class airport at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Warning on protests and leadership responsibility
Reflecting on the unrest witnessed in June and July 2025, Ruto said the loss of lives and destruction of property had left a “stain on the national conscience,” urging leaders and citizens alike to balance rights with responsibility.
“Debate and dissent are legitimate, but our Constitution does not license violence, destruction or criminality,” he said.
He warned that leadership must unite rather than divide, adding that Kenya’s stability must never be sacrificed for personal ambition.
Alcohol and drug abuse declared national emergency
Ruto also declared alcohol and drug abuse a national development and security emergency, revealing that more than 4.7 million Kenyans are currently using at least one substance of abuse.
He said one in three Kenyan men aged 15 to 65 uses alcohol or drugs, while over 1.5 million young people aged between 25 and 35 are affected.
To confront the crisis, the President announced the creation of a strengthened Anti-Narcotics Unit within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, with staffing expanded from 200 to 700 officers and enhanced surveillance, forensic and financial investigation capacity.
Assets linked to drug trafficking and illicit alcohol trade will be seized and forfeited, while officials found colluding with traffickers will be prosecuted and dismissed.
Ruto also said he would consult the Chief Justice on establishing specialised courts to fast-track narcotics-related cases, while respecting judicial independence.
“Leadership will be judged by results”
As he looked ahead to 2026, the President promised a new era of accountability, saying leaders would be judged by performance rather than promises.
“The measure of leadership is impact,” he said, adding that the coming years would demand discipline, unity and sustained action.
Ruto closed his address by urging Kenyans to walk together into the new year, expressing confidence that the country was finally poised to change course.
