President William Ruto with CDF General Charles Kahariri at Nyayo Stadium during the 62nd celebration of Jamhuri Day on December 12, 2025.PHOTO/OKUSI TECHEPresident William Ruto has used his Jamhuri Day speech to issue a stern warning about what he termed as moral decay threatening Kenya’s progress.
Addressing corruption, he described it as a national crisis that robs citizens of more than just public funds—undermining trust, opportunity, and the nation’s future.
During his address at the Nyayo National Stadium on Friday, Ruto said the country must confront an “integrity deficit” that begins in early childhood and evolves into the grand corruption witnessed in public institutions.
“In our homes and in our schools, seemingly harmless dishonesty later matures into grand corruption,” he said.
“Corruption is not merely theft of money; it is the theft of hope, opportunity, and destiny.”
Ruto said corruption, tribalism, hate and political division are tearing at the nation’s social fabric, weakening institutions and eroding Kenyans’ trust in government.
He warned that these vices have become deeply entrenched and now pose an even greater threat to Kenya’s future than economic challenges.
“Hate and division, corruption, and tribalism tear at the very social fabric of our Republic,” he stated.
“Our economic freedom project demands more than infrastructure and capital. It demands a renewal of our national conscience.”
The President said that while his administration is focused on ambitious infrastructure programmes, agriculture reforms and digital transformation, these initiatives cannot succeed without a strong ethical foundation guiding both leadership and citizens.
According to Ruto, Kenya’s pursuit of economic freedom must now be matched by an equally urgent pursuit of moral renewal.
"We must rebuild a strong value system. We must defend our national unity. We must raise our children in honesty, responsibility, and love for the country," he stated.
His remarks come at a time when concerns about mismanagement of public funds continue to dominate public debate, with civil society organisations warning that systemic corruption threatens Kenya’s economic recovery and long-term growth.
The President also linked corruption to ethnic mobilisation and divisive politics, saying they undermine national unity and derail development.
He urged leaders from all political divides to reject ethnic polarisation and instead promote cohesion and shared national values.
On December 8, 2025, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) says it received and processed 4,183 reports related to graft in the last one year.
This is a decline from the 5,252 reports recorded in the 2022/2023 reporting year, according to its latest report.
Out of the 4,183 reports received, 1,846 were relevant to the Commission’s mandate and were recommended for investigation, the report states.
This represented 44.1 per cent of the reports received, an increase of 1.4 percentage points from the previous reporting period.
