President William Ruto has said Kenya is too complex and sophisticated to be led by an incapable person, declaring that “no fool can run this country” as he defended his administration’s approach to positioning Kenya on the global stage.
Ruto made the remarks on Thursday, October 8, 2026, while presiding over a graduation ceremony at State House, Nairobi, where 3,750 Kenyans were recognised under the National Industrial Training Authority’s Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme.
The President used the occasion to respond to criticism surrounding his international engagements, particularly his participation in meetings of the United Nations and African Union.
He questioned why some Kenyans had criticised his attendance at international forums, arguing that his participation was part of a broader effort to raise Kenya’s profile and influence abroad.
“Ati ooooh sijui nimenda kuongea United Nations, sijui nimenda kuongea AU. That is how you profile a nation. That is how you raise the profile of a country,” Ruto said.
He said Kenya was increasingly being recognised internationally as a serious country, attributing the change partly to its presence in global institutions.
“Today, today I can say without fear of any contradiction that Kenya has a bigger profile and a lot of respect across the world because they know that we are a serious nation,” he said.
Ruto then turned to the question of leadership, linking Kenya’s international ambitions to the qualities he said were required of those entrusted with running the country.
“Because we are a very serious country, my friend. Ama namna gani? Yes! That’s what it is,” the President said.
He went on to describe Kenya as a modern and highly complex nation before delivering his most pointed message.
“Kenya is a modern, very complex, and sophisticated country. No fool can run this country. Unahitaji mtu ako na akili. That’s how you take the country forward,” Ruto said.
The remarks come as political activity builds ahead of Kenya’s 2027 General Election, with the question of leadership increasingly becoming a central theme in public debate.
Ruto has repeatedly defended his record since taking office in 2022 and has sought to present his administration as focused on economic transformation, job creation, skills development and greater international engagement.
Thursday’s State House event also allowed the President to highlight the government’s investment in technical and vocational skills. The 3,750 beneficiaries graduated through the RPL programme, which formally recognises competencies acquired through work experience, informal training and other forms of learning.
The programme is intended to give workers formal certification for skills they already possess and potentially improve their access to employment, further training and economic opportunities.
Ruto’s comments therefore connected two themes that have featured prominently in his administration’s messaging: the development of a skilled workforce at home and the projection of Kenya as a more influential country abroad.
His remarks about leadership also add to an increasingly sharp political conversation ahead of 2027. Ruto has previously told Kenyans that the choice of leadership will determine whether the country succeeds, although Thursday’s formulation was delivered specifically in the context of his argument that Kenya’s growing complexity requires capable leadership.
The President’s comments are likely to attract political attention as parties and potential candidates position themselves for the next election.
For now, Ruto’s message from State House was that Kenya’s ambitions require leadership capable of understanding and managing what he described as a modern, complex and sophisticated country.
