Ruto’s 2027 election pitch: Tax cuts, 50,000 jobs and cheaper land
President unveils fresh relief measures for low-income earners as he draws battle lines with critics and defends his administration’s record ahead of next year’s polls
President William Ruto has unveiled a raft of proposed tax cuts, cheaper land transactions and 50,000 internship opportunities in an aggressive pitch to ordinary Kenyans ahead of the 2027 General Election, seeking to ease the cost of living and strengthen his re-election bid.
Speaking during 63rd Mashujaa Day celebrations at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret today, Ruto announced measures targeting low-income workers, aspiring homeowners and young people struggling to secure employment, presenting them as part of his administration’s commitment to economic fairness.
The proposals include exempting workers earning Sh32,333 or less per month from Pay As You Earn (PAYE), scrapping stamp duty on land transactions valued at Sh1 million or less, and removing the 25 per cent import duty on mobile phones.
The president also pledged to expand the national internship programme to accommodate 50,000 additional graduates from January 1, 2027, with each receiving a monthly stipend.
“These measures address four barriers that Kenyans confront every day: the burden of taxation on modest incomes, the cost of acquiring property, the expense of accessing digital opportunities and the difficulty of entering the labour market,” Ruto said.
He argued that exempting low-income earners from PAYE would leave workers with more money to meet household expenses, including food, transport and other essentials, amid persistent pressure on family budgets.
“For workers on modest incomes, every shilling saved means more money to meet their families’ needs, including food, transport, and other essentials,” he said.
On land ownership, Ruto said the National Treasury had prepared proposals to exempt transactions worth Sh1 million or less from stamp duty, with progressive rates applying to higher-value transactions. The proposals were due to be presented to Parliament the following week for approval.
He also defended the proposed removal of import duty on mobile phones, describing the devices as essential tools for education, business and employment rather than luxury goods.
“A mobile phone is no longer a luxury. It is a classroom, a marketplace, a bank, an office and, for many young Kenyans, a gateway to employment,” he said.
“Making phones more affordable will bring the opportunities of the digital economy within reach of more citizens,” he added.
On youth unemployment, the President said the expanded internship programme would help graduates acquire practical workplace experience and improve their prospects of securing permanent jobs.
“Too many young people cannot secure employment without experience, yet cannot gain experience without employment,” he said, adding that the programme was intended to break that cycle.
“Our purpose is clear: to put more money in the pockets of workers, make ownership easier for families, bring digital opportunity within reach, and open the doors of employment to our young people. That is what it means to translate Usawa from a principle into practical action,” Ruto said.
