ELDORET, Kenya, Oct 19 – President William Ruto has said the government is prioritising increased agricultural production and lower farming costs to address the effects of drought on food security and ease the cost of living.
Ruto said supporting farmers to produce more food would help boost supplies, improve affordability and strengthen Kenya’s resilience to drought.
Speaking during a meeting with more than 5,000 Kalenjin elders at the Eldoret State Lodge in Uasin Gishu County on Monday, the President said reducing the cost of food production was central to making essential commodities more affordable.
“Reducing the cost of living begins with lowering the cost of food production by supporting farmers to produce more food,” he said.
The Head of State assured farmers that his administration would continue supporting them to increase productivity and incomes, noting that improved agricultural earnings would stimulate economic activity and strengthen the wider economy.
“We need to use agriculture as a tool to put more money in the pockets of Kenyans,” he added.
Ruto also said farmers in the tea, sugarcane and other agricultural sectors were benefiting from improved earnings following government efforts to eliminate brokers.
The President defended his administration’s economic policies, saying the government was working to narrow the gap between rich and poor by expanding employment and income-generating opportunities.
He said the government was investing in affordable housing, digital employment and overseas job placements to improve household incomes.
According to Ruto, 1.1 million Kenyans are working in the housing sector, 300,000 are earning from digital jobs, while another 700,000 have secured employment abroad.
He added that two million Kenyans who were unemployed in 2022 had since secured jobs.
“We are putting money in their pockets,” he said.
The President said the initiatives were intended to create a more equitable society by expanding economic opportunities, particularly for those at the bottom of the economic ladder.
“We have had a huge gap between the rich and the poor, between the working class and the non-working class. That is why, as Government, we needed to establish a balance,” he said.
Ruto reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to national unity and equitable development, assuring residents of the North and South Rift regions that they would receive their fair share of national resources.
He said no region would be left behind as the government implements its national transformation agenda.
The President urged Kenyans from different economic backgrounds to support efforts aimed at creating a fairer society, adding that those who were better off should help others improve their livelihoods.
On healthcare, Ruto said the Social Health Authority (SHA) was helping ease the financial burden on households by improving access to medical services.
He also highlighted investments in education, including the recruitment of 100,000 additional teachers, the construction of 23,000 classrooms and changes to the higher education funding model.
The President said the measures were aimed at improving access to education while reducing the financial burden on parents.
He maintained that the government’s interventions across agriculture, healthcare, education and employment were designed to improve livelihoods and promote economic inclusion.
“That is how we manage to create an equitable society,” he said.
The meeting brought together more than 5,000 Kalenjin elders, who affirmed their support for the President and his Usawa ni Sawa rallying call.
Those present included Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, Principal Secretaries, Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii Chelilim, Nandi Governor Stephen Sang and Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wesley Rotich, alongside Members of Parliament and other leaders.