Ruto: Presidency is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, don’t waste it
By Kenneth Mwenda, July 15, 2025President William Ruto has called on Kenyans to embrace bold reforms, saying the chance to transform a nation should not be wasted.
Speaking at the launch of the Affordable Housing Internship Programme at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, the Head of State stressed the urgency of development.
“It is not always that you get an opportunity to be president,” Ruto said. “Yes, it comes once in a lifetime. So when you get that opportunity, don’t waste it,” Ruto said, indicating that some people have advised him not to introduce bold reforms now but to wait until he secures a second term.
Ruto said that some people had advised him to delay some reforms to remain politically popular. However, he insisted that the time to act is now.
“Good people, the transformation of Kenya has delayed for far too long,” he said. “We cannot wait for a day more or a week more or a month more. Let’s do it now and transform our country. We can pick up the others as we go.”
The president emphasised the importance of the housing agenda, which has been a central pillar of his administration.
“This whole housing programme, yes, is about housing,” he noted. “But it is not just affordable housing. We have a whole stock of social housing, we have affordable housing, and also market housing that responds to everybody out there.”
Mudavadi backs Ruto’s resolve
In support of the president’s stance, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has expressed confidence that Ruto’s leadership will be vindicated at the ballot.
“If you were to ask me as an individual, my position is that President Ruto is going to be reelected because he is making the hard decisions now,” Mudavadi said in a televised interview on Sunday night, July 14, 2025.
“By the time we get to the election, the fruits and benefits of the tougher decisions being made now will begin to manifest themselves.”
He added that critics predicting a one-term presidency are misinformed.
“The only time that this decision is made is when we get to the ballot,” he said.