President William Ruto has declared that he will retire from active politics in 2032 alongside opposition leaders of his generation, challenging young Kenyans to prepare to take charge of the country's leadership when the current crop of politicians exits the stage.
Ruto made the announcement on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, while addressing residents in Bonchari, Kisii County, during his development tour of the Gusii region. He said the 2032 transition should mark the beginning of a new political era led by younger Kenyans, rather than another round of divisions among established political figures.
In a pointed political message, the President appeared to take aim at opposition figures he accused of using insults, tribalism and hatred to advance their political ambitions, insisting that even his fiercest critics would leave the political scene alongside him.
“I want to assure the young people and leaders of Kenya that all these people, including this man who has insulted me, this Mr Forty, and this other man from Texas, this man of hatred, I will travel with them. We will leave office in 2032, and leave these young people to take over the field and continue with the work,” he said.
He challenged young leaders to begin preparing for the responsibility of governing the country, arguing that Kenya needed a generation committed to national unity and development.
Ruto also launched a fresh attack on politicians he accused of using ethnic identity to mobilise support, warning that such politics threatened to divide communities and undermine national cohesion.
“Your evil politics of ethnicity, tribalism and hatred must come to an end,” Ruto said, maintaining that government development initiatives should reach Kenyans without discrimination based on their ethnic backgrounds.
Beyond his political message, the Head of State used the Kisii meeting to outline several development projects planned for the region, including major investments in healthcare, transport infrastructure and agriculture.
He announced that the government would construct a new Level Five hospital in Kisii at a cost of Sh1.7 billion, alongside a Sh1 billion stadium aimed at improving sports facilities in the county.
The President also promised to upgrade Suneka Airport by extending its runway by between 300 and 400 metres. He said the improvements would make air travel more accessible to residents, who currently have to travel to Kisumu or Migori to catch flights.
On healthcare, Ruto defended the replacement of the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) with the Social Health Authority (SHA), arguing that the new arrangement was intended to ensure Kenyans could access medical services regardless of their employment status or financial position.
He disclosed that 17,115 residents had already registered under SHA, adding that Sh8.7 billion had been sent to health facilities in the area over the past one-and-a-half years.
The President also highlighted changes in the agricultural sector, pointing to reduced fertiliser prices as part of efforts to lower production costs for farmers.
According to Ruto, the cost of fertiliser had dropped from nearly Sh7,000 to Sh2,500, while tea farmers were earning bonuses of up to Sh2,000.
He further promised reforms to cooperative management laws, saying the government would set aside Sh4.2 billion to modernise tea factories and continue expanding road networks and electricity connections across the region.
The President is undertaking the third day of his four-day development tour of the Gusii region, which started on November 8 with a church service at Nyamaiya Stadium in Nyamira County.
The tour has covered Kisii and Nyamira counties, with the administration highlighting investments and planned projects in infrastructure, healthcare, education and economic development.