Ruto: Uhuru gave me 2-year-leave and I used it to write my manifesto

President William Ruto has revealed that his predecessor, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, gave him a two-year leave of absence, which he says he used to develop the Kenya Kwanza manifesto.

Speaking on Tuesday, Ruto said he worked with his team from his Karen office to craft the manifesto, noting that many of its proposals were built on policies initiated during the Jubilee administration.

He said the manifesto was developed in collaboration with his advisers and contains significant continuity with the Jubilee government's agenda.

"I want to thank my predecessor, President Uhuru Kenyatta. He gave me leave of absence for two years. And I used that time to write this manifesto," Ruto said.

"With David and colleagues, we sat in my office in Karen, and we went through. Most of what is in that manifesto has a huge element of continuity. Whether it is on education, on health, on housing, on agriculture, it has a big reflection on what we had tried to do in Jubilee under President Uhuru.”

The President also traced the evolution of Kenya's education sector through successive administrations, saying each government had made significant contributions to expanding access to education.

According to Ruto, Kenya's first President laid the foundation for the country's education system, while the second President expanded learning institutions and established more universities.

He said former President Mwai Kibaki introduced free primary education, while former President Uhuru Kenyatta championed 100 per cent transition from primary to secondary school.

"President Kenyatta told us effectively that we must have 100 per cent transition, and it has been my responsibility to make sure that when we have 100per cent transition, we have the classrooms," Ruto said.

The President said his administration had addressed the increased demand for learning space by constructing 23,000 classrooms across the country.

That's why we built 23,000 classrooms to eliminate the gaps that were there," he said.

President Ruto called on Kenyans to focus on the country's long-term future instead of the next General Election, saying national development should take precedence over political competition.

The President urged citizens to believe in Kenya's potential, saying the country is capable of achieving greater progress if leaders and citizens remain committed to a shared vision.

"So if any one of you had any doubt in the possibilities that this country can make, please start believing in your country. Start believing in your country," Ruto said.

He said Kenya needs a robust national conversation about its future, adding that the process is likely to take time but is necessary to shape the country's development.

"As we engage in this process, because it's going to be a robust process, it's not going to end in weeks or months. Maybe it'll take us a year or so. We must have a robust conversation as a country on what the future of Kenya is," he said.

Ruto emphasized that the discussions should not be driven by electoral interests but by the need to secure a better future for all Kenyans.

"This is not about the next election. This is about the future of Kenya," he said.

The President noted that elections are temporary, but the country's future will affect all citizens regardless of who forms the next government.

"The next election will come and go, but we must focus because whoever wins or loses the next election will be here. Nobody's going to leave the country. So we are going to be here, and the future of Kenya will matter to everybody, those who win and those who lose," Ruto said.