Ruto Unveils His Singapore Formula, Borrows Raila’s Canaan Dream

President William Ruto has outlined his key priorities for the coming months, saying he has drawn valuable lessons from the leadership and political journey of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Ruto in his speech during the Mashujaa day event at Ithookwe Stadium in Kitui County on Monday October 20 said Raila taught us to put country above self and reminded Kenyans that no ambition is more important than our peace. Tat is the measure of a man’s greatness.

According to Ruto, it was never about Raila becoming president; it was about Kenya having a good president. He believed that Kenya’s best days were still ahead.

“The first lesson that Baba taught us is to put country above self. Time and again, he reminded us that no disagreement is greater than our unity, no ambition more important than our peace, and no personal interest higher than the welfare of our nation,” he said.

“It goes without saying that it is precisely because of great and irrepressible giants like Raila Odinga that we find within ourselves the courage and inspiration to go further, to dream bigger, and to pursue higher ideals.”

Ruto Reflects on Raila’s Vision for Kenya

At the same time the Head of State noted that for Raila Odinga, leadership was never about becoming president but about ensuring Kenya had a good president who could steer the country from third-world status to first-world status within the shortest time possible.

He added that Raila envisioned a “glory land” — a better, greater, and more perfect union — which Kenyans must now dedicate themselves to achieving. Also Read: 

Ruto reflected on the future of the country, drawing from his recent conversations with Raila Odinga.

He said Raila often spoke passionately—and sometimes with frustration—about Kenya’s slow pace of progress compared to countries like South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia, which had advanced to first-world status while Kenya continued to struggle with basic challenges.

Also Read: Ruto Lifts Lid on Raila’s Health Struggles in Final Months Before His Death

The President added that through these candid discussions, they both agreed that true national development is driven by visionary leadership that looks beyond elections and aspires to transform future generations.

“We agreed that if Kenya is to attain first-world status within our lifetime, as it must, we should set for ourselves daring and audacious goals and pursue them with unwavering focus,” Ruto noted.

Ruto Lists His 3 Priorities Drawing Lessons from Raila’s Leadership

Ruto highlighted industrialization as a key national priority inspired by Raila’s leadership legacy.

He explained that initiatives such as the Africa Growth and Industrialisation Initiative and County Aggregation and Industrial Parks are designed to boost value addition, create jobs, and expand exports.

Ruto further emphasised that reliable and affordable energy is key to realizing Kenya’s industrial potential.

He pledged to expand the country’s energy generation capacity from 2,300 megawatts to at least 10,000 megawatts within the next decade.

“As a former Minister for Energy, Raila Odinga was a strong advocate for the rapid expansion of our energy capacity through multiple sources, including hydro, geothermal, solar, wind, and nuclear,” he said.

The president added that with abundant energy, Kenya would power factories, light every home, and drive the nation to become the industrial hub of East Africa and the continent.

Also Read: Ruto Confers Raila with the Highest Honor

He said the government also prioritizes achieving food security, noting that Kenya must reduce its dependence on food imports by expanding irrigation and modernising agriculture.

Ruto announced plans to build 50 mega dams to bring two million acres under irrigation, saying this would make Kenya both food-secure and a leading agricultural exporter.

Ruto also identified infrastructure as a critical area of focus, noting that Raila, who once served as Minister for Roads, Public Works, and Housing in late President Mwai Kibaki government, often reminded him that no economy can flourish without world-class infrastructure.

He said the government has committed to dual at least 1,000 kilometres of major highways — including the Rironi-Nakuru-Mau Summit-Eldoret-Malaba, Makutano-Embu-Meru, Kitengela-Namanga, Mombasa-Nairobi, and Marua-Nanyuki-Isiolo roads — while constructing an additional 10,000 kilometres of new tarmac roads.

Ruto added that Kenya will also complete the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line from Naivasha to Kisumu and onward to Malaba, connecting the country seamlessly to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo — the heart of the African Continental Free Trade Area dream.

“Fellow citizens, to some, these projects may seem too ambitious, perhaps even out of reach. But this is precisely where bold, visionary, and heroic leadership comes into play, the kind that Raila Odinga embodied,” he added.

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