Everything Ruto does, he does it the wrong way, Onyonka Says

President William Ruto’s development agenda has come under fresh criticism from Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka, who has questioned the rising cost of major government projects and warned that public spending must be matched by clear benefits for Kenyans.

Onyonka singled out the affordable housing programme, stadium construction and the country’s growing public debt, arguing that the way projects are being carried out raises concerns about accountability and the use of taxpayers’ money.

“We have never said that President William Ruto hasn’t done anything. Our position is, everything he does, he does it the wrong way,” Onyonka said.

Speaking on Citizen's JKL on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, the senator said his criticism was not a rejection of development but a challenge to the government’s approach to planning and spending.

He questioned the billions of shillings being spent on affordable housing, raising concerns about the cost of construction materials and whether the programme was being implemented in a way that guarantees value for money.

The senator also pointed to a stadium construction project whose cost, he claimed, had increased from an initial Sh16 billion to Sh53 billion and counting.

He said the reported rise in expenditure warranted closer scrutiny, arguing that Kenyans needed assurances that money allocated to major infrastructure projects was being spent responsibly.

Onyonka contrasted the spending on development projects with the need to improve healthcare, particularly access to cancer treatment.

He said the country would benefit from facilities offering cancer care, with adequate supplies of medicine and experienced oncologists to treat patients.

Defending his position, the senator said questioning the President’s decisions was part of his constitutional role in overseeing the executive and holding the government accountable for its actions.

“My job as a senator is to oversee the president,” he said.

Onyonka maintained that government projects should not escape scrutiny simply because they are presented as development initiatives, insisting that their costs and implementation should be examined.

The Kisii senator also raised concerns about the country’s debt, claiming that public borrowing had increased from about Sh8 trillion when former President Uhuru Kenyatta left office to nearly Sh14 trillion under Ruto.

He cited the figures as part of his wider criticism of the administration’s spending priorities, questioning the growing debt burden alongside the costs associated with major government projects.

His concerns centred on the need for public expenditure to produce clear benefits for citizens, particularly in essential services such as healthcare.

Onyonka also addressed development projects in different parts of the country, including Luo Nyanza, saying he had no objection to investment in the region.

However, he argued that the government must ensure that all projects comply with the law and that the money spent represents value for taxpayers.

“If he’s going to have to come out as a president using his executive powers to do some reparations in certain areas of this country, please do it within the law, make sure it is value for money,” he said.

The senator’s position was that development should be guided by accountability and proper use of public resources, regardless of the region receiving government investment.

Onyonka also criticised what he described as repeated scandals involving government projects, saying the pattern had become a source of frustration.

He called for greater accountability in the use of public funds, arguing that concerns surrounding development programmes needed to be addressed rather than allowed to persist.

“We are tired and sick of these scandals which are following each and every project that the government has taken up,” Onyonka said.

His remarks add to the political debate over the cost of major government investments, the country’s rising public debt and the management of public resources under Ruto’s administration.

While acknowledging that the government had undertaken development initiatives, Onyonka insisted that the central concern was how those projects were being delivered.

He maintained that public spending must be lawful, carefully managed and directed towards projects that provide tangible benefits to Kenyans, rather than leave questions over costs and accountability.