Ruto Unveils Sovereign Wealth Fund and Calls 2026 a ‘Defining Year’ for Kenya’s Economy

Nairobi, Kenya  
President William Ruto has declared 2026 a “watershed year in the story of the republic,” announcing that Kenya will operationalize the National Infrastructure Fund and Sovereign Wealth Fund to secure long-term growth.  
 
“In January 2026, we will fully establish and operationalize the National Infrastructure Fund and the Sovereign Wealth Fund,” he said.  
The President said all proceeds from privatization will be ring-fenced and invested only in public infrastructure.  
 
“All proceeds from privatization will be ring-fenced and invested strictly in public infrastructure projects that generate and preserve long-term value. Every shilling invested through this fund will crowd in multiple additional shillings from long-term investors in the private sector” He continued.  
 
Protecting Future Generations  
Ruto said the fund will help stabilise the economy and ensure long-term savings.  
“The Sovereign Wealth Fund will, for the first time, secure intergenerational equity… protecting the nation from external shocks and strategically growing national wealth.”  
 
Kenya Inspired by Asian Economic Models  
Ruto compared Kenya’s transformation plan to the experiences of South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia.  
 
“History shows us that countries like South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia made national transformation a deliberate choice. Each organized its economy around work, industry, export and skills, investing deliberately in infrastructure and people. Poverty fell, jobs grew, and a strong middle class emerged. Their success was built on elevated ambition, relentless determination and sustained action over time. That is the path we have chosen for Kenya”.He said.  
 
‘The Story of Ordinary Citizens’  
The President said 2025 marked the beginning of economic dividends.  
“The story of 2025 is about the hustlers, the mama mbogas, the boda boda riders… whose lives have quietly changed in extraordinary ways.”  
 
Ruto concluded by saying unity and resilience carried the country through a challenging year.  
 
“This has been a year that tested our resolve and our collective purpose, a year that demanded sacrifice and called for unity. As President, I am proud to say that together we rose to the occasion. I said that 2025 would be the year when we would start earning the dividends of the hard work we had undertaken together since 2023. Looking back, this has been the year in which our deliberate choices began to pay off. We have began the journey and we have a clear roadmap to make 2026 a defining year in Kenya’s history”.He concluded.