RUTO REVIEWS ID FEES

The national identification card replacement fee will be evaluated by the government in a bid to ensure that no individual is excluded from registration as a voter, President William Ruto has said.
The President clarified that the charge was introduced in an effort to deter misuse of the service by citizens who, after getting the IDs for free, would misplace them and then replace them every now and then.
Under new regulations, the window for the free replacement of IDs will run until after the elections.

"We will make sure no one is locked out of voter registration because they do not have an ID card," he said.

The President made the statement during the Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG) centenary celebrations in Nyang'ori, Vihiga County, on Saturday.The occasion had Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Governors Ken Lusaka (Bungoma) and Wilber Ottichilo (Vihiga), MPs, and MCAs.

In addition to this, President Ruto added that the government is creating two strategic funds—the Infrastructure Fund and the Sovereign Wealth Fund—to accelerate the transformation of the country and guarantee its future.
He added that the Infrastructure Fund will be used to fund agricultural transformation, such as irrigation, agro-processing, and value addition.

The President further indicated that the fund will be used to finance industrialisation and manufacturing, including the production of extra power to support industries.
"Currently, we only produce 2,300 megawatts and it is not sufficient to take Kenya to the next level. We need at least 10,000 MW if we are to transform this country into a manufacturing and industrial nation," he further explained.

Additionally, President Ruto said that the Infrastructure Fund will also fund the building of more roads, including dual carriageways and rural roads to connect farmers to markets.
On setting up a Sovereign Wealth Fund, he stated that the country should save for the future and not "eat everything today."

A sovereign wealth fund is a government investment that is used by governments to invest in surplus revenues and other reserve funds.
Countries create these funds for economic stabilization, national wealth enhancement, and gaining long-term financial returns to ensure the national future.

The President commended MPs for debating and adopting Sessional Paper No. 2 of 2025 on privatisation of Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Limited, which he said will help raise KSh130 billion.
President Ruto challenged Kenyans to work together in unleashing the country's potential and driving it to the next level.
Mr Mudavadi commended President Ruto for not only articulating Kenyan issues on the global stage but also articulating Africa in its address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary challenged the people of Western Kenya to support the President in realizing Kenya's transformation agenda. He observed that the agreement of purpose between President Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga towards the unification of Kenya cannot be ignored, as it demonstrates their commitment to the country's development.