President William Ruto has defended his efforts to demystify State House, in response to a media article that claimed “the House on the Hill is no longer sacred".
In a statement shared on social media, the President dismissed the criticism with a pointed message: “Bottom Up it is.”
The phrase echoes the central theme of Ruto’s 2022 presidential campaign—the Bottom-Up Economic Model—which he continues to champion as both an economic framework and a political philosophy.
Designed to uplift ordinary Kenyans working in the informal sector, such as boda boda riders, small traders, and small-scale farmers, the model aims to place the needs of the “hustlers” at the heart of national development.
The article in question accused the State House of losing its exclusivity, stating it now “hosts every Tom, Dick and Harry.”
In contrast, Ruto has made no apologies for opening the doors of the country’s most powerful address to regular citizens, delegations, and grassroots leaders.
On August 9, 2025, the President hosted an economic empowerment forum that brought together over 15,000 Nairobi residents to discuss healthcare reforms and access to a Sh13 billion fund under the Social Health Authority.
Ruto hosted national officials from Kenya’s boda boda sector at State House, Nairobi, on August 7, 2025, reaffirming their vital role in the country’s economy and empowerment agenda.
Ruto defended the sector against recent calls for its removal from major towns, acknowledging how integral they were to his election victory through the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda
Later that month, on August 27, he welcomed a delegation from Kiambu County that included religious leaders, youth representatives, and small business owners.
Ruto's Bottom-Up approach remains a defining feature of his presidency, distinguishing him from traditional political elites he refers to as “dynasties.”
Programmes like the Hustler Fund—which provides low-interest loans to small-scale entrepreneurs—have been central to this strategy.
By opening up the State House to ordinary Kenyans, the President
signals that leadership is no longer the preserve of the few but a shared space
where every citizen can be heard.
