Ruto: I can account for every day of my 1,000 days since elected, defends his tough choices

President William Ruto during an event at State House on June 9,2025/PCS

President William Ruto firmly declared that he can account for every single day of his presidency as he assured Kenyans that the economy has fully recovered.

Speaking on the milestone, Ruto, who marked exactly 1,000 days since he took power, reflected on the challenges he faced.

He said inflation was high at 9 per cent, with the shilling trading at Sh167 to the dollar and foreign exchange reserves barely covering two and a half months of imports.

And, with the country faced with the risk of a sovereign default, he said urgent and difficult decisions had to be made.

“I had to make very difficult decisions to stop Kenya from defaulting on its foreign obligations. Those decisions were not easy, but they were necessary, and we made them as a country,” Ruto said.

Speaking when he met some artistes at State House, Ruto said these interventions yielded tangible results.

He reported that inflation has since dropped to 3.8 per cent, and foreign exchange reserves have more than doubled, rising from $5–6 billion to $10.3 billion.

The President further stated that his administration’s efforts are not just about short-term fixes but about creating a solid economic foundation for future generations.

“We are stabilising the economy, restoring investor confidence, and putting Kenya back on a firm growth trajectory,” he said.

He reaffirmed his commitment to fiscal discipline, transparency, and structural reforms, positioning his government as one that is focused on long-term gains rather than political convenience.

A year after taking power, Ruto announced that the country was out of danger of debt distress and that “the economy is on a stable footing.”

He stated that the government is implementing calculated policies that have put the country on a sustainable economic growth path.

These efforts, he said, have been fruitful, as the country is now among the fastest-growing economies in the world.

“The economic indicators point to good news. Inflation is down while our GDP has grown,” he said.

In August 2022, the country’s external debt was Sh4.32 trillion. The total public debt was Sh8.6 trillion, with domestic debt also at Sh4.33 trillion.

In January 2025, it had reduced to approximately Sh5.09 trillion, a significant drop from Sh6.09 trillion in December 2023.

This was largely attributed to the appreciation of the Kenyan shilling against major currencies.