NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 10 — President William Ruto has rated his performance in office as 8 out of 10, asserting that he has “fixed the economy” and boosted job creation.
In an Al Jazeera interview aired on Sunday, Ruto said the country is in a stronger economic position now than when he took over from his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, nearly three years ago.
“If you look at the three years I have been in office, I made huge commitments and many pledges to the people of Kenya. It is on that basis that the expectations of Kenyans are very high,” Ruto said.
“Have I met those expectations? I can confidently say that on a scale of 1–10, I have done eight. I have fixed the economy.”
The head of state highlighted a business-environment ranking by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), which placed Kenya sixth among the most-improved countries between 2019 and 2023.
Ruto also pointed to the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), recently voted Africa’s best-performing stock market in USD terms, as evidence of his administration’s economic reforms.
He cited increased maize and sugar production, alongside a new university funding model that he says has made higher education sustainable, as further proof of a “working economy.”
His flagship affordable-housing programme, he added, has created jobs in construction and stimulated other sectors.
Critics, including opposition figures, argue that many Kenyans have yet to feel the benefits of growth, pointing to slow formal-sector job creation, stagnant wages, and rising public debt as ongoing challenges.
