Ruto: Hustler Fund has so far disbursed Ksh72B
By Paulette Mboga, August 12, 2025President William Ruto has hailed the Hustler Fund as one of the most transformative financial inclusion initiatives in Kenya’s history, despite a recent report by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) calling for the programme to be scrapped.
Speaking on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, during Youth International Day in Kakamega County, President Ruto said the fund had made a direct and positive impact on millions of Kenyans, enabling access to affordable credit for those previously excluded from the formal financial system.
He revealed that the Hustler Fund had so far disbursed Ksh72 billion, with over 26 million Kenyans benefiting from it.
“This is the largest initiative of its kind, with a direct impact on our people. We have mobilised Ksh5 billion in savings and seen nine million repeat borrowers, which shows sustained trust and tangible benefits,” Ruto said.
“Through the Hustler Fund, five million beneficiaries have improved their credit scores, a game-changing development for young people who previously had no credit history.”
KHRC says Hustler Fund is failing to deliver
Ruto’s remarks come just days after KHRC released a damning report on the programme. The study accused the government of running an economically unsustainable and politically manipulated scheme that has failed to achieve its promised impact.
The KHRC report concluded that the Hustler Fund, launched in November 2022 with a Ksh50 billion startup capital, had not delivered meaningful financial empowerment for low-income Kenyans. It argued that while disbursements were high, the loan amounts — often between Ksh500 and Ksh1,000 for first-time borrowers — were too small to meaningfully grow businesses or create jobs.
By September 2024, the fund had already disbursed over Ksh53 billion, but the report noted there was no measurable impact on enterprise development or employment.
The Commission called for the programme to be shut down entirely, saying it was structurally flawed and served more as a political talking point than a practical economic solution.
Despite the criticism, Ruto maintains that the Hustler Fund is driving financial inclusion and changing lives, insisting that the growing number of repeat borrowers and improved credit scores among beneficiaries are proof of its success.