President William Ruto has come out to respond to claims suggesting that he wants to serve Kenya for 20 years.

While speaking during a Jukwaa la Usalama forum at State House, where chiefs from several areas had converged on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, Ruto stated that he was misinterpreted and that his remarks had been taken out of context.

Ruto explained that during the forum, he envisioned how the country would look in 20 years, based on the progress the nation has made over the past two years.

He emphasised that his statement about 20 years was merely a projection of Kenya’s potential growth and was not intended to suggest that he wants to serve beyond the constitutional term limit of 10 years.

The President continued to state that he wants to serve only as per the Constitution, explaining that being a president is overwhelming and that he is sometimes accused of things he hasn’t done.

“Unajua nilisema hivyo juzi watu engine wako na tabia, watu wengine wakasema huyu mtu atakuwa rais miak ishirini, kwani mimi ni wazimu, watu wanadhani hii kazi ya kuwa rais ni kazi rahisi ya kupigiwa kelele kila siku” ruto said

He further stated that during his time in office, he will work his best to deliver on his mandate and then hand over the mantle to the next person.

Talks on the presidential term limit have been ongoing recently. They were first brought to light by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, who presented a motion in Parliament proposing that the presidential term limit be extended from the normal five years, as per the 2010 Constitution, to seven years.

The motion to extend the term limit is currently lying in Parliament, having been gazetted recently to allow for public participation.

Presidential term limit extension

In the proposal, Cherargei argues that the presidential term limit and that of other elected officials should be extended to give officeholders sufficient time to work and deliver on their mandate.

He further argued that, in the case of the president, a significant amount of time is spent forming a cabinet, and before it takes shape, the first few months are already gone. This is followed by swearing-in ceremonies, and it becomes a long time before the cabinet is fully operational.

He also cited the political mood of the country after a leader is elected, saying that the first two years are often wasted on politics.

By the time the country adjusts to the previous political situation, the next general elections are already approaching, and political formations have begun taking shape, leaving little time for development. He stated that to address these issues, the country should shift to a seven-year term limit.

However, the Busia senator dismissed this, saying that Cherargei’s move to amend the Constitution and extend the presidential term limit failed at the committee stage but still made its way to the second reading in the House. He added that the bill creates more gaps and problems than it seeks to solve.