Ruto's Economic Recklessness Must End

PRESIDENT RUTO’S RECKLESSNESS WITH THE ECONOMY

Fellow Kenyans, our country must move forward from Kenya Kwanza and President Ruto’s reckless governance of our economy.

Kenyans understand the trouble our economy is in. We live it every day — in high prices, joblessness, and collapsing public services. We have seen this as we have traversed our beautiful country, from Kayole to Kilifi, the struggles of Kenyans are palpable.

Let us be clear, this economic crisis was created by years of reckless borrowing and waste including by the previous administration.

But President Ruto appears totally uninformed, blind to the reality on the ground, and ignoring even his own Cabinet Secretary, John Mbadi, who recently admitted that our wage bill is choking development.

For President Ruto, the answer to every problem seems to be “borrow more money,” without any regard for the damage that out-of-control borrowing is inflicting on the future of young Kenyans.

Last week, President Ruto was marketing a KSh 1.5 trillion infrastructure fund. Now, he is asking for even more. And interestingly, every project has the same price tag: Khs. 1.5 trillion. And the source? Also, the same: more debt. “We need KSh 1.5T for roads, KSh 1.5T for energy, KSh 1.5T for agriculture… KSh 4T is what we need to make Kenya first world. To raise that money, we don’t even need to raise taxes, all we need is smart thinking.” — President Ruto, 2 Nov 2025. The Reality: A Nation Drowning in Debt

When President Ruto took office, our national debt stood at Ksh 8.6 trillion.1 Today, that amount is heading towards Ksh. 12 trillion.2 In other words, we are on track to add Ksh 4 trillion to our debt, with almost nothing to show for it.

As a result of this recklessness, in 2023–2024, our country spent about 65% of revenue on debt service; this year, that figure is projected to exceed 75%.

Let us break this down. It means that three out of every four shillings collected by government never reaches Kenyans. It all goes straight to creditors, for debt that Kenyans did not seek and whose value we do not see.

Nearly one in every two shillings spent by both the national and county governments today goes to pay salaries for a small political elite, leaving little for classrooms, hospitals, and jobs.

You don’t have to be a genius to know that you can’t “smart-think” your way around arithmetic. When three-quarters of revenue is already swallowed by debt service, “finding” KSh 4T without new taxes or cuts is fantasy — unless the plan is opaque off-budget borrowing or captive pension schemes. That ends with hidden liabilities and higher borrowing costs for everyone.

This isn’t a development strategy; it’s a liability factory. An “infrastructure fund”, or any fund for that matter, with weak guardrails, only concentrates corruption risk.

Similar schemes under this administration have already collapsed into scandals, wasted billions, and left taxpayers footing cancellation fees. Kenyans are not getting value for money.

“We are using Sh80B per month to pay salaries for public servants… Sh960B per year, that is not sustainable. We are crowding out development.” — John Mbadi, Treasury CS, 4 Nov 2025. When the Treasury itself concedes that payroll is suffocating development, the only responsible course is cutting waste and restructuring government, not borrowing another KSh 4–4.5 trillion. Anything else is pouring water into a leaking bucket.

“Ruto donates KSh50M for construction of ADC Church in Vihiga County.” — 2 Nov 2025. Handing out tens of millions for political theater while claiming we “need” trillions shows priorities completely detached from fiscal reality.

If money is so tight we must securitize the future. The lavish giveaway to churches does not fool anyone. It is not God’s work. It is deeds of darkness; the eating of a country by its own vulture regime. Ruto’s own words have come to haunt him: “Wajinga waliisha”

What this means for young Kenyans: Here is the undeniable truth: today’s loans are tomorrow’s higher interest rates, fewer scholarships, and fewer jobs. When debt service consumes 65–75% of revenue, the budget line that gets cut isn’t VIP perks — it’s bursaries, medicines, and feeder roads. Debt without reform is a youth tax. The Way Out: The way out is not more reckless loans. It is finding efficiency in government — cutting duplication, waste, and vanity projects — and ending corruption once and for all. Kenya must live within its means, reform its budget priorities, and bring to justice those who looted the public purse.

The Leadership Kenya Needs: Kenya’s crisis is not only economic — it is a failure of moral leadership. I will bring to the Presidency the kind of integrity, prudence, and discipline our country desperately needs. My leadership will restore the principle that every shilling collected must serve Kenyans, not steal from them.

We will rebuild trust, recover stolen billions, and secure a future that rewards honesty and hard work.

Signed: CJ (Emeritus) David K. Maraga UGM Party Presidential Flag Bearer

Citation: 1 https://nation.africa/kenya/business/ruto-defies-promise-by-borrowing-sh1-4trn-but-slightly-eases-debt-p ressure 2 https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/economy/kenya-public-debt-hits-record-sh11-35trn-on-local-bor rowing