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President William Ruto on Monday issued a stark warning to corrupt legislators and state officials, declaring an end to the culture of extortion he termed "Soko Huru" (free market) within parliamentary committees.
Speaking at a Kenya Kwanza-ODM joint parliamentary group meeting in Karen, President Ruto promised decisive action, stating that those implicated in bribery would be arrested, not just shamed.
In an unscripted and candid address to members of both the Kenya Kwanza and Azimio coalitions, the president condemned the pervasive corruption that he argued was crippling the nation's progress and destroying Parliament's credibility.
President William Ruto at a Kenya Kwanza-ODM joint parliamentary group meeting in Karen
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"There are people who are destroying the credibility of Parliament, and they are collecting money in the name of Parliament," President Ruto stated firmly.
We are not going to shame them. We are going to arrest them.
The term "Soko Huru," as used by the President, refers to a cynical marketplace for bribes, where committee decisions, legislative approvals, and oversight functions are allegedly for sale.
He questioned the existence of certain roles within parliamentary committees, directly linking them to illicit activities.
"This fellow who is called chairman of welfare in committees, what is their job?" the President asked rhetorically, before answering himself to applause: "Extortion. That's it."
To substantiate his claims, President Ruto cited specific, alarming examples he said were based on raw intelligence.
President William Ruto arrives at a Kenya Kwanza-ODM joint parliamentary group meeting in Karen
He questioned how an official facing Senate oversight could raise Sh150 million to influence a decision, asserting the money belongs to the public.
He also directly challenged MPs present, alleging that a few members of a committee collected Sh10 million to pass a law on anti-money laundering.
"Did you get the money?" he asked the assembled legislators, driving home his point that the illicit funds rarely benefit the entire house but are pocketed by a few individuals.
The President's remarks came during a meeting intended to foster national unity and bipartisan support for the government's development agenda.
He argued that unless this deep-seated corruption is rooted out, it will destroy the nation and render all development efforts futile.
The crackdown, he promised, would be indiscriminate. "Whoever is giving and whoever is being given and whoever is doing whatever it is, we will sort them out," he vowed.
The reality is that there is a problem, and we all know here there is a problem. Unless we sort it out, we are going to destroy this nation.
While his threats to arrest corrupt officials captured headlines, the core of the President's speech was a passionate appeal for bipartisan support to implement tough but necessary reforms in housing, agriculture, and fiscal management.
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President William Ruto, ODM leader Raila Odinga and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki at a Kenya Kwanza-ODM joint parliamentary group meeting in Karen
A Call for Statesmanship Over Politics
President Ruto lauded opposition leader Raila Odinga for his courage in fostering national unity, framing their collaboration as a pivotal moment for the country.
"Very few leaders have the courage and the method to withstand criticism and stand for the nation...When a nation's destiny is at stake, you need statesmen," he said, acknowledging the criticism Odinga has faced.
He argued that the manifestos of Kenya Kwanza and Azimio were nearly 70% aligned, but politics somehow has taken the country hostage, preventing the implementation of universally agreed-upon solutions.
Housing and Agriculture
Central to his vision is the aggressive implementation of the affordable housing program, which he presented as a bipartisan project rooted in both coalitions' manifestos.
"Go and read the Azimio manifesto. Read the Kenya Kwanza manifesto. It is there," he urged.
We now are seated here and we have the opportunity to implement what was in both manifestos. Friends, why don't we just do it?
He pointed to the project's early successes in creating jobs and changing urban landscapes, arguing that if it had been implemented 30 years ago, Kenya wouldn't be different from Singapore.
On agriculture, President Ruto made a bold promise regarding the sugar sector, which has been plagued by mismanagement for decades.
Kenya Kwanza-ODM joint parliamentary group meeting in Karen
"Watch this space," he declared. "In just two or a maximum of three years, Kenya will be a net exporter of sugar."
He credited the unified political will for allowing the government to "bite the bullet and tell the crooks there to get out."
Shifting from Debt to Partnerships
Addressing concerns over the national debt, President Ruto detailed a major policy shift away from debt-financing for large infrastructure projects.
He confirmed that upcoming mega-projects will be funded through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
"The road all the way to Mau Summit... is going to be built on public-private partnership. We are not going to be spending any debt money," he announced.
He added that the planned standard gauge railway extension from Naivasha to Malaba would also be constructed using a PPP model, avoiding the massive debt incurred in the railway's first phase.
Investing in Youth
The President highlighted the government's annual expenditure of Sh650 billion on education and stressed the need to ensure this investment translates into opportunities for young people.
He called on Members of Parliament to utilize their NG-CDF resources to establish ICT hubs in every constituency, creating digital jobs and preventing graduates from becoming a problem to the nation.