Light moment as Ruto shuns podium at Roysambu launch

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President William Ruto, on Thursday, chose a spot off the main podium during the commissioning of the Roysambu military camp housing project in Nairobi.

In a light-hearted moment that drew laughter from the crowd, the President said he had noticed that many leaders were avoiding the podium and decided he too would “reorganise” himself.

Chief of Defence Forces Charles Kahariri and Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuiya, who spoke earlier, delivered their remarks from different spots, leaving the podium for the head of state.

“Mimi nimeona kila mtu anahepa hapa juu nikasema wacha hata mimi nijipange (I have seen everyone avoiding this place up here, so I said let me also reposition myself)," he quipped.

His remarks appeared to reference the formal setup of the event, even though the podium had been specifically reserved for him.

“Kawaida podium kama hii huwanga ni ya watu wengi wako na vuvuzela na nini na nini (Usually, a podium like this is meant for big crowds with vuvuzelas and all sorts of noise," he stated.

The event marked the commissioning of phase one of the Roysambu military camp housing project, a 500-unit development designed to provide modern and dignified accommodation for military officers and their families. The President also laid the foundation stone for Phase Two of the project.

Ruto said the housing initiative forms part of the government’s broader Affordable Housing Programme, which is being implemented through public-private partnerships to accelerate delivery and expand access to decent homes across the country.

“We are leveraging public-private partnerships to scale up the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) to deliver more homes and expand access to decent and affordable homes,” he said.

The President noted that members of the disciplined forces had for decades endured inadequate and congested living conditions, a situation his administration is keen to reverse.

“We have deliberately included our officers in the disciplined forces in our housing agenda to reverse the long-standing culture that normalised poor living conditions for those who protect our nation,” he said.

Under the first phase of the military housing plan, the government is constructing 3,069 housing units in Roysambu, Nanyuki, Gilgil, Lanet and Mariakani. The units are expected to be completed by June this year.

Ruto further announced that Phase Two will see the construction of 10,000 additional housing units in military installations across the country.

“This will significantly improve the welfare of our servicemen and women. After all, dignity is a right, not a privilege,” he said.

The Roysambu project is expected to ease pressure on existing barracks and improve the quality of life for officers and their families, aligning military welfare with the administration’s wider housing and social transformation agenda.

The President reiterated his commitment to ensuring that those who safeguard the country are accorded decent living standards, saying improved housing is central to morale, stability and national security.