Kalonzo Criticises Ruto’s Ksh5 Trillion Development Plan
President William Ruto’s announcement of two new financial initiatives, the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) and the National Infrastructure Fund (NIF), aimed at raising Ksh5 trillion for development projects, has faced sharp political criticism.
During his Jamhuri Day speech at Nyayo National Stadium on 12 December, Ruto outlined a series of ambitious infrastructure plans, including a 60-kilometre expressway from Nairobi to Thika, upgrades to the highway serving Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and continued development of the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit and Nairobi-Mai Mahiu-Naivasha corridors.
However, these plans have sparked immediate backlash, with opposition figures and former allies raising concerns over the government’s economic approach.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka accused the President of bypassing constitutional safeguards in pursuit of “alternative financing mechanisms.”
He argued that Kenya’s fiscal system is designed to prioritise transparency, parliamentary oversight, and fairness for future generations, and warned that Ruto’s proposals could undermine these principles. Musyoka’s comments reflect broader opposition concerns about the increasing centralisation of financial decision-making in the executive amid rising public debt.
The criticism has also come from within Ruto’s former circle. Moses Kuria, a former Cabinet Secretary and economic adviser to the President, has publicly disagreed with the government’s focus on infrastructure, arguing that it overlooks the pressing issue of youth unemployment.
Kuria noted that 1.1 million students graduated from the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) this year, a record number, and warned that in three years, many of them will struggle to find employment unless measures are taken to boost private-sector growth. He cautioned that failure to address job creation could lead to a growing crisis.
