President Ruto Set to Address the Nation as Parliament Convenes for Joint Sitting
The health sector has similarly been hit by repeated disruptions, including frequent strikes by health workers and unresolved issues hanging over the implementation of SHIF amid claims of mismanagement and policy shortfalls.
President William Ruto. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
President William Ruto is set to deliver the State of the Nation address today, Thursday, November 20, at 2pm during a joint session of both Houses of Parliament. The Head of State will highlight the achievements made during his administration as he faces increasing scrutiny over promises which many Kenyans believe have not been fulfilled since he came into office in 2022.
This will be President Ruto’s third State of the Nation address, and he is expected to speak to the progress realized under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, BETA, the main policy framework of the Kenya Kwanza government. Although ambitious in intent, BETA has faced immense challenges, and its effectiveness has come under extensive debate.
The President is anticipated to shed light on a number of ongoing key issues shaping the national conversation, including updates on the Affordable Housing Programme, progress and challenges faced by the Hustler Fund, the state of domestic and international borrowing, the implementation of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and ongoing adjustments to the university funding model.
During last year’s address, President Ruto painted a rosy picture of national development, especially highlighting the successes in food security-a keystone of his administration. He cited increased staple crop production, which had improved owing to better distribution systems, he said. However, although some of the figures he had referred to were consistent with government official reports, other figures later turned out to be inconsistent against the 2024 Economic Survey released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
What is expected to feature among the key pillars of emphasis by the President this year is, for instance, the expansion of affordable housing-a flagship project that the government has consistently advanced despite resistance by the public and legal challenges. The administration maintains that thousands of housing units have already been completed and are being allocated to eligible Kenyans as part of efforts to improve urban living standards and stimulate job creation.
Critics, however, feel that even as the housing project may be moving on well, other key sectors have suffered considerable reversals. The education sector, for example, is still reeling under inadequate capitation funds, a problem the schools and university administrators said was undermining the smooth running of academic programmes. The health sector has similarly been hit by repeated disruptions, including frequent strikes by health workers and unresolved issues hanging over the implementation of SHIF amid claims of mismanagement and policy shortfalls.
As President Ruto goes to the podium today, Kenyans will be keenly watching to hear how his government plans to address these persistent challenges, restore confidence in public institutions, and realign national priorities with the expectations of ordinary citizens.
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