The President of Empty Promises – How William Ruto Betrayed the Hustler Nation

When William Ruto campaigned for Kenya’s highest office in 2022, he styled himself as the ultimate “Hustler” — a self-made man who understood the pain of ordinary Kenyans. He promised a radical “Bottom-Up” economic transformation that would uplift the millions living paycheck to paycheck. From affordable housing to mass job creation, cheap cooking gas, and free internet, Ruto made bold promises. Just two years into his term, a mountain of evidence showed that those promises were little more than political bait — and Kenyans are no longer buying the lie.

A Government Built on Broken Promises

Ruto’s campaign was anchored on a pledge to inject Sh250 billion into small-scale agriculture over five years — supposedly the beating heart of the bottom-up economy. Yet, to date, farmers have seen little to no benefit. Credit remains inaccessible, subsidies are scarce, and many rural producers are worse off. Similarly, his promise to build 250,000 affordable homes every year has not materialized; costs remain high, delivery slow, and demand unmet.

In total, only 5.2% of Ruto’s 270 campaign promises have been fully honored, according to Mzalendo’s Promise Tracker. An overwhelming 120 pledges remain “in progress,” while 22 have already been declared broken. The numbers speak for themselves — Kenyans were sold dreams that have quickly soured into disillusionment.

The Jobs That Never Came

Ruto vowed to create 4 million jobs for the youth. In reality, government data shows that only 782,300 jobs were created in 2024, while youth unemployment hovers at a crisis-level 38%. Despite rhetoric about tapping into the digital economy, his promise that Kenyan youth would “earn big” through online work has gone unfulfilled. Access to skills, connectivity, and real opportunities remains abysmal.

Even his promise of nationwide free internet — vital for digital jobs — has vanished into thin air.

The Affordable Life That Got More Expensive

Ruto pledged to bring cooking gas prices down to KSh300. Today, prices remain stubbornly high, burdening already struggling families. He promised to provide free diapers for newborns for six months — a policy that never even got off the ground. Another promise to lower National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) premiums to KSh300 turned into a cruel twist: instead, a 2.75% income deduction was imposed on every Kenyan.

Worse still, even small symbolic taxes like the turf removal levy — which Ruto once vowed to scrap — have been quietly reintroduced. These broken promises add insult to injury, especially for the working-class Kenyans who believed they finally had one of their own in power.

The Cabinet of Inequality

Gender equality was another pillar of Ruto’s campaign. He promised that 50% of his Cabinet would be women. The result? Just 7 out of 22 Cabinet Secretaries (32%) are women. Once again, the commitment was loud in words, silent in action.

Fighting Corruption — Or Protecting It?

Perhaps one of the most cynical betrayals was Ruto’s vow to launch investigations into state capture within 30 days of taking office. Not only has no probe been initiated, but corruption scandals have multiplied under his watch — some implicating senior figures in his own administration. The dream of clean governance has become another broken shard in a pile of discarded promises.

The Verdict: A Presidency of Deceit

In every sector — agriculture, housing, employment, healthcare, governance — Ruto has overpromised and underdelivered. Independent media, watchdogs, and civil society organizations have chronicled this collapse of trust. The Star, Citizen Digital, and Mzalendo all confirm what Kenyans already feel in their bones: the Hustler-in-Chief has lost credibility.

On social media, chants of #HustlerMustGo echo loudly. Youth protestors carry placards that read “We won’t be fooled again”. Former allies have turned critics, calling Ruto’s government a “fraud of empty rhetoric.” The anger is not just online — it’s spilling into the streets, into town halls, into WhatsApp groups and across barbershops and buses. The conclusion is clear: the dream sold to Kenyans was a lie.

What Comes Next?

William Ruto campaigned as a revolutionary, a disruptor who would end elite impunity and restore dignity to the ordinary citizen. Instead, he has governed like just another crooked politician — full of hollow speeches, quick U-turns, and broken promises.

As frustration boils over, many Kenyans now agree on one thing: only new leadership can restore hope. The betrayal is too deep, the lies too many. In the words of a recent protest chant, “Hustlers won’t be fooled again.”

Sources:

• The Star

• Citizen Digital

• Mzalendo Promise Tracker