President William Ruto has challenged Kenyans to abandon what he described as “average thinking” and instead embrace a mindset of excellence, innovation, and ambition to drive the country’s progress.
Speaking in Doha, Qatar, during a meeting with Kenyans living in the diaspora, Ruto said Kenya’s growth would remain stagnant unless its citizens adopted bold ideas and visionary thinking.
“My friends, the problem we have in Kenya is average thinking — ordinary, usual. Unless we up our game and our ambition, unless we think about the extraordinary, we’ll remain stuck,” Ruto said.
The President emphasized that Kenya’s transformation relies heavily on citizens who believe in the power of big ideas and hard work. He urged Kenyans to emulate nations that have achieved rapid progress through innovation, discipline, and excellence.
Ruto, who came to power in 2022 on the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), reiterated that his government’s development model focuses on empowering ordinary citizens, particularly those in the informal sector.
Through the BETA framework, the administration is investing in small-scale enterprises, manufacturing, and agriculture, while addressing youth unemployment. He also highlighted flagship programs such as affordable housing and social health insurance, which he said require public confidence and a mindset shift to succeed.
“This average thinking is costing us. We look at everything and think it’s impossible. Others did it — why can’t we?” he asked.
Ruto also outlined measures to support the diaspora community, noting that the government had reduced passport processing time from three months to three days and deregistered over 600 rogue labour agencies to protect Kenyan workers abroad.
Additionally, he revealed plans for a diaspora bond and cheaper remittance systems to strengthen investment and boost Kenya’s economy.
The President made the remarks on the sidelines of the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, which focuses on eradicating poverty and promoting inclusive growth.
