President William Ruto on Friday joined Maseno School in Kisumu in marking 120 years of existence, celebrating the institution’s long history of academic excellence and contribution to nation-building.

The event brought together national and county leaders, alumni, students, and education stakeholders at the historic institution, which is among the oldest formal schools in Kenya.

President Ruto was accompanied by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, his Energy counterpart Opiyo Wandayi, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, and Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o, among other leaders.

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The delegation was received by the school administration and officials as celebrations got underway at the institution located near the border of Kisumu and Vihiga counties.

Speaking during the event, President Ruto described Maseno School as more than just a learning institution, saying it has played a major role in shaping Kenya’s leadership and national identity over the last 12 decades.

“There are schools that educate students, and there are institutions that shape the destiny of a nation. Maseno School belongs to the latter category,” Ruto said.

The President noted that when the school was founded in 1906 by missionaries, Kenya had not yet attained independence, and many of the country’s current national symbols and governance structures did not exist.

“Some 120 years ago, when this institution was founded, the Republic of Kenya as we know it today did not exist. There was no independence, national flag, or constitution,” he said.

Ruto said the institution had grown into a towering centre of academic excellence and leadership development, producing generations of leaders, scholars, clergy, scientists, public servants and professionals who have contributed to Kenya and the wider East African region.

“For 12 decades, Maseno School has stood not merely as a centre of learning but as a living monument to the enduring power of education, discipline, leadership, service and nationhood,” he said.

The President further described the anniversary as more than a celebration of longevity, saying it represented continuity, excellence, and national memory.

“Governments have changed, empires have risen and faded, political seasons have come and gone, yet Maseno has endured,” Ruto added.

Governor Nyong’o also praised the institution for nurturing generations of disciplined and resilient students, urging the current learners to preserve the school’s legacy.

“To the students of Maseno School, I say that you carry more than books, you carry a legacy of resilience, discipline and purpose,” Nyong’o said.

“It’s a legacy that demands courage and not comfort. You come from a place where perseverance wins through,” he added.

Maseno School occupies a significant place in Kenya’s education history as one of the country’s oldest institutions of formal learning.

The anniversary celebrations highlighted the institution’s historical role in shaping generations of Kenyan leaders while reaffirming the importance of education in national development.