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Kenya: The 12 Labours of President William Ruto

By Son Gatitu, Jeff Otieno

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Posted on September 30, 2022 14:35

© William Ruto now begins the difficult part (image: Glez) — William Ruto now begins the difficult part (image: Glez)

On 13 September, William Samoei Ruto became Kenya’s fifth president since independence, having seen off veteran oppositionist Raila Odinga. In his new role, Ruto inherits an overflowing inbox of unresolved points.

How will ‘hustler’ Ruto navigate these waters to ensure he keeps his political base satisfied? Here are 12 thorny issues that will influence his first year in office.

1 – Debt

The national debt currently stands at KSh8.4trn ($69.8bn). Ruto has ruled out restructuring, arguing that it will put the country into further financial distress. Instead, he plans to pause borrowing, especially for unbudgeted projects, which he argues has gobbled up more than KSh100bn.

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