NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 19 – President William Ruto has defended the Finance Bill 2026 after its passage in Parliament, saying the new budget measures will inject billions of shillings into healthcare, agriculture, counties and education.
Speaking after Parliament approved the Bill, Ruto praised lawmakers who supported it, saying history would remember those who stood with the country during a critical moment.
“I thank Parliament for passing the Bill that will help us generate resources as we move Kenya forward,” Ruto said during the burial ceremony of the wife of veteran politician Henry Kosgey in Nandi on Friday.
The President accused critics of using propaganda and division, saying Kenyans should demand facts from leaders making claims about government policies.
“We must not accept politics driven by hatred, tribalism, malice, propaganda and arrogance. Every leader who says something must be asked questions about the truth of those words,” he said.
Ruto said the Finance Bill would provide additional funding to the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) to address medicine shortages in public hospitals.
He announced that Sh21 billion would be allocated to KEMSA to ensure hospitals, dispensaries and health facilities across the country have adequate medical supplies.
“For a long time, citizens go to hospitals only to be told to buy medicine because there is none. To end this problem, we have put serious resources into KEMSA so that every county, every dispensary and every hospital gets enough medicine,” Ruto said.
The President also cited new funding for agriculture, saying the government had increased support for fertilizer and seed subsidies.
According to Ruto, Sh18 billion has been set aside for fertilizer and seed support to help farmers increase production.
“In the past, we were only paying for fertilizer subsidy. Now we have added seeds on top of it,” he said.
Ruto said reducing the cost of farm inputs had already helped improve production in key agricultural sectors including coffee, tea, maize, wheat and sugarcane.
“When fertilizer was expensive, few people bought it and agriculture went down. When we reduced the cost, productivity went up,” he added.
The President questioned critics opposing increased funding for healthcare and agriculture, saying such programmes directly benefit ordinary Kenyans.
“You who oppose increasing money for KEMSA so that medicine can be found in hospitals, what do you want citizens to do?” he asked.
The new budget will also increase funding to county governments, with Ruto announcing an additional Sh15 billion allocation to support development at the grassroots.
He said more resources would go towards improving education, including training and promoting teachers.
“Education is very important. We have put money to train, retool and promote 100,000 teachers in our nation,” Ruto said.
The President said the measures contained in the Finance Bill would help move Kenya forward by strengthening key sectors of the economy.
The Head of State announced he would sign the Bill into law next week.
