President William Ruto on Thursday, November 20, 2025, delivered his third State of the Nation Address during a joint sitting of the National Assembly and the Senate, outlining far reaching achievements, policy shifts, and major development commitments aimed at steering the country toward sustained economic growth and social transformation.
In a speech marked by assertive rhetoric and detailed performance highlights, the President emphasized what he termed a story of progress, resilience, and national renewal, contrasting it with what he dismissed as manufactured pessimism from critics.
A major highlight of the President’s address was the unveiling of a KSh 5 trillion national dual carriageway programme, a transformative infrastructure pipeline designed to enhance regional connectivity, cut logistics costs, and stimulate commerce across counties.
Mau Summit – Eldoret – Malaba
Kericho – Kisii – Oyugis
Machakos – Emali – Mariakani
Athi River – Kajiado – Namanga
Muthaiga – Kiambu – Ndumberi
Meru – Laare – Maua
Kisumu – Lwanda – Busia
Mtwapa – Kilifi – Lunga Lunga
Ruto described the infrastructure plan as a generational investment that will position Kenya as the region’s leading transport and logistics hub.
The President highlighted a significant drop in the cost of household staples, noting that the price of a 2kg packet of maize flour has declined from KSh 250 in 2022 to KSh 130 in 2025, attributing the fall to targeted interventions in agriculture and improved production systems.
In a bid to elevate Kenya’s competitiveness in the knowledge economy, President Ruto announced the establishment of a State Department for Science, Research, and Innovation.
The department will spearhead reforms designed to scale up STEM programmes and accelerate the country’s transition to a technology driven economy.
The President reported remarkable progress in the digital space, citing the expansion of the national fibre network by 24,000 kilometres, up from less than 10,000 km previously.
Additionally, the government has increased public Wi-Fi hotspots from zero in 2022 to nearly 1,500 today, significantly boosting access to digital services in communities that were previously unconnected.
Kenya has also established 300 digital innovation hubs, with another 400 in development, serving as incubators where young innovators can experiment, learn, and build enterprises.
On healthcare, President Ruto underscored the strides made under Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
He announced that the government is currently paying healthcare premiums for 2.3 million vulnerable citizens, ensuring that for them, healthcare is not a privilege but a right.
He took aim at what he called cynics who scoffed, insisting that his government’s commitment to a people centred healthcare system remains unwavering.
Ruto highlighted what he termed a historic overhaul of the agricultural sector.
Through the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS), the number of registered farmers has risen from fewer than 300,000 in 2022 to more than 7.1 million in 2025.
He said the digital registry has empowered the state to design scientific, targeted interventions while dismantling long entrenched networks of middlemen, cartels, and brokers.
The President pointed to renewed confidence from international markets, revealing that 14 leading global financial institutions among them JP Morgan, Citigroup, Standard Chartered, and Goldman Sachs have projected that Kenya’s economy will grow by 5 to 5.8 percent in 2026.
He described this forecast as evidence that the country’s economic fundamentals are strengthening and that the reform agenda is gaining traction both domestically and internationally.
In closing, President Ruto reflected on the journey since his first address in 2023, asserting that his administration has moved from vision to transformation.
“Two years ago, when I delivered my first State of the Nation Address, I had a vision to sell. Today, I have a story to tell,” he declared.
Positioning his leadership as one defined by delivery, resilience, and long term national planning.