President William Ruto has urged world leaders to recognize affordable housing as a cornerstone of social justice and economic empowerment. Speaking at the UN Social Development Summit in Doha on Tuesday, Ruto said Kenya’s housing programme demonstrates how inclusive development can transform lives while driving economic growth.
Ruto noted that over 230,000 housing units are currently under construction across Kenya, creating more than 320,000 jobs and stimulating small-scale enterprises. He said the initiative, part of the Affordable Housing Programme, is not merely an infrastructure project but a social justice imperative that promotes dignity, equality, and opportunity for all.
“Our Affordable Housing Programme is delivering much-needed shelter while at the same time creating jobs and fostering inclusion,” President Ruto stated.
The Head of State emphasized that people-centred investments are essential for reducing poverty, narrowing inequality, and expanding economic opportunity values enshrined in the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development.
Ruto further highlighted the broader progress of Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). He cited the recruitment of 76,000 teachers in three years, with a target of 100,000 by 2026, alongside the rapid growth of technical and vocational training institutions.
On healthcare, Ruto reported that medical insurance coverage had expanded from eight million Kenyans in 2023 to over 27 million in 2025. He also lauded the Hustler Fund, which has disbursed Sh80 billion to 26.7 million Kenyans, helping five million regain formal creditworthiness.
Additionally, Ruto revealed that more than 400,000 Kenyans have secured jobs abroad in the past three years, including 70,000 in Qatar, while nearly two million youth have received digital skills training, with 300,000 now earning from online work.
Through these milestones, Ruto underscored Kenya’s commitment to building an economy that empowers citizens from the ground up.
