Ruto: Electoral Mandate Is Not a Blank Cheque, Citizens Have Right to Demand Better
President William Ruto addresses Kenyans during his Mashujaa Day speech in Eldoret on October 20, 2026
President William Ruto has pledged to keep his administration accountable to Kenyans, acknowledging citizens’ right to question government decisions and demand better delivery even after giving leaders an electoral mandate.
In his Mashujaa Day address on Tuesday in Eldoret, Ruto said his government must remain answerable for the commitments it made to Kenyans, pointing to public frustration over the cost of living, taxation, unemployment and the pace of change.
“They gave us a mandate, not a blank check. They demanded results, not excuses. That demand for accountability has not always been comfortable,” Ruto said.
He acknowledged protests, particularly by young Kenyans, as part of citizens exercising their democratic right to hold the government accountable between elections.
Ruto said demonstrations over economic and governance concerns serve as a reminder that winning an election does not take away the public’s right to challenge those in power.
“Their protests remind us that an electoral mandate does not silence the people between elections. Citizens retain the right to question their government, challenge its decisions, and demand better,” he said.
The President said his administration is now four years into implementing the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which formed the basis of the commitments presented to voters ahead of the 2022 General Election.
He said the agenda sought to transform agriculture, reform education, expand healthcare, modernise infrastructure, create jobs and support enterprises while reducing the cost of living and increasing household incomes.
Ruto maintained that leadership should be judged by its ability to improve people’s lives regardless of their ethnic or regional backgrounds, saying the mandate given to his administration represented responsibility rather than entitlement.
“We must listen, respond, and remain answerable for the commitments we made,” Ruto said.
He used the Mashujaa Day address to account for what his administration says it has achieved over the past four years, citing economic growth, exchange-rate stability, lower inflation, increased access to credit and reforms in the capital markets.
According to Ruto, the value of Kenya’s stock market has increased from Sh2 trillion in 2022 to Sh4.2 trillion, while foreign direct investment rose from $1.5 billion in 2022 to $3.2 billion in 2025.
He also cited the Hustler Fund and agricultural subsidies among interventions undertaken by his administration, saying more than 10 million Kenyans are regular borrowers from the fund, with Sh98 billion advanced without collateral.
Ruto said the responsibility of the current generation is to build on the sacrifices of Kenya’s freedom fighters by expanding opportunities and ensuring citizens can access education, healthcare, decent housing, employment and opportunities to establish businesses.
