Ruto Defends Uhuru, Credits Him for Pioneering Health Scheme

By Ryan Mumo

President William Ruto has urged Kenyans to be “magnanimous” towards his predecessor, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, acknowledging that one of the Jubilee administration’s landmark health programmes—Linda Mama—laid the foundation for today’s universal health coverage reforms.

Speaking at Umma University in Kajiado, the Head of State struck a conciliatory tone, defending Uhuru against recent criticism while stressing that his administration had built on the successes of the Linda Mama initiative to design a broader and more inclusive programme, Linda Jamii.

“We should be a bit magnanimous to him. He led our country, and the Linda Mama programme was a great programme we started during our Jubilee administration under his leadership. We learned a lot from it, and because of those lessons we designed the Linda Jamii programme,” Ruto said.

The President explained that while Linda Mama focused primarily on maternal health, Linda Jamii has widened the scope to cover the entire society, forming a critical part of the government’s push for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

 “Linda Mama was good, but Linda Jamii is obviously better. It is an improvement, but we must acknowledge that we learned it from the Linda Mama programme,” he added.

Ruto’s remarks come days after former President Kenyatta criticized aspects of his successor’s health reforms, sparking debate in political and health policy circles. His measured response appeared aimed at lowering political temperatures while highlighting continuity in national development.

The President also used the event to underscore his administration’s bold reforms in higher education, student financing, and technical training—insisting that Kenya’s transformation depends on investing in human capital.

But it was his moderate tone on Uhuru Kenyatta’s legacy that stood out, signaling a rare moment of political restraint in a climate often marked by sharp exchanges between the two leaders’ allies.