President William Ruto has praised chiefs and assistant chiefs for their pivotal role in Kenya’s ongoing national transformation, highlighting their work in security, agriculture, education, and youth empowerment as central to economic growth and effective public service delivery.
Speaking at the Chiefs’ and Assistant Chiefs’ Graduation at the National Police College in Embakasi, Nairobi, Ruto emphasized the critical position of these officers as the bridge between the government and communities in even the remotest parts of the country.
“Today’s gathering is significant, not only because of the indispensable role that the officers before me play in securing our nation, but also because it comes at a moment when Kenya is undergoing one of the most far-reaching transformations in our recent history,” the President said, highlighting the importance of grassroots engagement in governance.
He noted that the officers are “the first responders when crisis strikes, and the daily visible face of government to millions of Kenyans.”
Ruto commended the officers for supporting initiatives such as the registration of farmers, a cornerstone of the government’s bottom-up economic transformation agenda.
“When I came into office, we had only 300,000 registered farmers, but in a record three weeks, chiefs and assistants across Kenya raised that number to above 5 million, and they did it free of charge,” he said.
He added that the Ministry of Agriculture is now documenting all livestock farmers to ensure policies and public support are driven by accurate data.
The President also urged officers to facilitate access to government programs, ensure equitable distribution of resources, and support local development initiatives.
“It is your responsibility to ensure households are informed, to support community health workers in outreach programs, and to promote opportunities for young people,” Ruto said.
He highlighted initiatives, including the Nyota program, which aims to reach 110,000 young entrepreneurs, and emphasized the inclusion of both men and women, specifically single mothers.
Ruto further underscored the importance of security and order in enabling economic growth, saying, “A secure and orderly environment is the first foundation for investment, growth, and shared prosperity. The stability of our country and the success of our economic transformation is directly tied to the work you do every single day.”
He encouraged the officers to continue supporting government programs across sectors, from health and education to infrastructure and digital services, and stressed the importance of continuous training.
“Many of you have served for close to 10 years without training. This training is necessary for you to be much more effective, much more efficient, and I appreciate that you have been looking forward to this opportunity,” he said, adding that further engagement with senior officers will ensure all government administration personnel are on board.
