Ruto Pledges End to Tribal Politics, Defends Broad-Based Government and SHA

President William Ruto has renewed his call for an end to tribal politics and discrimination, saying his administration is committed to ensuring that development reaches all parts of Kenya.

Speaking during the ABC Annual National Women Congress at Scott Theological University in Machakos, Ruto said his decision to embrace a broad-based government was intended to strengthen national unity and promote equitable development.

The President said Kenya must move away from a political culture in which some regions feel excluded from government programmes and development opportunities.

“We do not want politics based on tribalism and discrimination,” Ruto said.

Ruto Defends Broad-Based Government

Ruto argued that the broad-based government approach was deliberately designed to bring together leaders and communities from across the country.

He said his administration would ensure that government development programmes are implemented without discrimination based on political or ethnic affiliation.

“I said that the old style of politics where certain regions faced discrimination would come to an end, and that development would reach every area, because Kenya is one nation,” the President said.

Ruto's remarks come as the government continues to promote national unity and a broader political cooperation framework ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The President was accompanied by ABC Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki, Machakos Town MP Caleb Mule, Mwala MP Vincent Musyoka, Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse and former State House Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita, among other leaders.

President Pushes Back Against SHA Criticism

Ruto also defended the Social Health Authority (SHA), rejecting criticism that the healthcare financing system is failing.

The President described some of the criticism as propaganda, arguing that those attacking the system do not fully understand how it operates because they have not visited hospitals or experienced SHA services as patients.

Ruto said the programme was introduced to reduce the financial burden of medical treatment on ordinary Kenyans.

“SHA was introduced to put an end to the practice of Kenyans having to sell their assets to afford medical treatment,” he said.

The remarks come amid continuing public debate over SHA, including concerns about service delivery, claims processing, healthcare financing and access to treatment.

Development and Healthcare at the Centre

Ruto's Machakos address placed two major themes at the centre of his administration's message: equitable development and universal healthcare.

The President maintained that Kenya's development should not depend on the political or ethnic identity of a region, while defending SHA as part of his government's broader healthcare reform agenda.

Whether the government's broad-based approach can translate into tangible development across all regions and whether SHA can overcome concerns surrounding its implementation will remain important tests of the administration's record.

For Kenyans, the measure of the government's promise may ultimately come down to whether citizens can see equal access to development and healthcare regardless of where they live or which political side they support.