Esther Passaris: Kenya needs Ruto’s infrastructure push to secure future prosperity
By Ascah Mwango, November 21, 2025Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has praised President William Ruto for presenting what she described as a clear and transformative vision for Kenya’s future.
In a statement shared on her X account on Friday, November 21, 2025, Passaris said the President’s approach reflects the kind of strategic and disciplined planning that Kenya requires to achieve sustainable national growth.
She noted that transformative nations are built through deliberate investment, long-term consistency, and a focus on strengthening foundational infrastructure.
Passaris referenced global examples to illustrate how countries that prioritised national development were able to achieve remarkable progress over time.
She highlighted Japan’s evolution after the Second World War, pointing to its dramatic expansion of paved roads as proof that large-scale infrastructure investment can anchor a country’s economic transformation.
“Japan rebuilt from just 2,000 km of paved roads after the war to over 1.1 million km today. Because infrastructure is destiny. Kenya cannot grow without expanding our roads, energy, water, irrigation, digital networks, and housing,” Passaris stated.
Adding;
“And that is exactly what the President has set: 50 mega dams, 10,000 MW of new power, 28,000 km of new tarmac, Affordable housing across the country, SGR expansion to strengthen trade. This is why I stand with @WilliamsRuto. Kenya deserves continuity, progress, and a future built on real foundations.”
She further emphasised that the President’s focus on mega dams, expanded energy capacity, extensive road construction, nationwide affordable housing, and the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway aligns Kenya with countries that have historically secured prosperity by investing in core national assets.
Passaris also noted the importance of establishing Sovereign Wealth Funds, noting that countries such as Norway, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE became economic powerhouses by safeguarding their national wealth for the benefit of future generations. She said Kenya adopting a similar model is a step toward ensuring long-term prosperity rather than burdensome debt.
She framed her support within the broader philosophy championed by veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga, whom she credited for teaching Kenya that development must be intentional and based on planning, discipline, and vision.
Passaris argued that President Ruto’s strategy aligns with these principles and reflects the same nation-building ethos upheld by past reformers.
“Norway. Kuwait. Saudi Arabia. UAE. These nations became global economic giants because they protected and invested their national wealth through Sovereign Wealth Funds ensuring every generation benefited, not just the present,” she said.
Adding;
“Kenya is finally taking that step too, so that our children and grandchildren inherit prosperity, not debt. That is what leadership looks like. That is thinking beyond politics and building a country that outlives all of us.”
Ruto’s ambitious plan
Passaris’ remarks came a day after President Ruto delivered his State of the Nation Address, where he outlined a wide-ranging plan to transform Kenya’s economy over the next decade.
During the address, the president unveiled a Ksh5 trillion development blueprint centred on infrastructure, agriculture, energy, housing, health, and education.
He announced the construction of 50 mega dams, 200 medium dams, and thousands of smaller ones to boost irrigation across 2.5 million acres of land, especially in arid regions.
Ruto also detailed an ambitious energy expansion programme that seeks to add 10,000 MW of new power from geothermal, wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear sources.
On transport, the president reaffirmed the government’s commitment to build 28,000 km of new tarmac roads in the next ten years. He said 2,500 km of major highways have been mapped for dualling, with works on the Rironi–Naivasha–Nakuru–Mau Summit and Rironi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha roads set to begin.
He also announced that the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) will be extended from Naivasha to Kisumu starting January 2026.
In the housing sector, Ruto defended the Affordable Housing Programme, saying it is delivering 230,000 units across the country.
He added that 178,000 student housing units are planned for universities and TVET institutions, with 74,000 already under construction.
The health sector also featured prominently, with the president noting progress under the new Social Health Authority. So far, 27 million Kenyans have been registered, and over 10,000 health facilities have been integrated into the system.
The government is paying insurance premiums for 2.3 million vulnerable citizens and plans to increase the cancer treatment benefits limit from Ksh550,000 to Ksh800,000 by December 2025.
Ruto said these projects will be financed through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), a National Infrastructure Fund, and the establishment of a Sovereign Wealth Fund to safeguard national resources for future generations.