President William Ruto announced that the roll-out of Universal Health Coverage at the beginning of the month will ensure that the government provides medical care to all Kenyans. He noted that 12.8 million people have already been registered under the new Social Health Authority (SHA).
“For the first time, every Kenyan will have health insurance,” he said during the 30th anniversary celebration of the African Inland Church (AIC) Milimani in Nairobi.
Reflecting on the church’s growth, Ruto spoke of its humble beginnings when Sunday services were held in a tent. “We have seen God’s blessings. From a church in a tent, we now have this magnificent building. In the beginning, there were only 10 families, but now it has 3,000 members. We thank God.”
The President reiterated the government’s commitment to working with religious institutions to implement programs that improve lives, particularly in healthcare and education. “I want to thank faith-based institutions that run hospitals in Kenya for stepping forward and partnering with us,” he said.
He also spoke about the progress of the government’s Affordable Housing Programme, expressing confidence in its transformative potential. Ruto highlighted key projects in Mukuru kwa Njenga and Kibra that aim to eliminate slums and provide decent housing for Kenyans. “That is my mission: To ensure that we create a nation of equals.”
Ruto also touched on the ClimateWorX Programme, which commenced this month to clean the Nairobi River Basin, ensuring the regeneration of the river. “We cannot have the headquarters of UNEP in Nairobi and have a dirty river,” he emphasized.
In addition, he pledged to work with Nairobi’s leadership to address the issue of 10,000 pupils who are not in school. “We are building an extra 5,000 classrooms in Nairobi to ensure that all our children, especially those living in informal settlements, go to school.”
Finally, the President expressed pride in Kenya’s global reputation for its contributions to international initiatives. He highlighted that the United Nations has selected Kenya to lead the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti.
“Just two days ago, the Prime Minister of Haiti was here, expressing gratitude for what our policemen are doing thousands of kilometres from Kenya,” he said.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting freedom of worship in the country. “As I said last week, God’s work in Kenya will proceed unhindered,” Ruto said.
“We are unapologetic about our faith.”
