Ruto: Bottom-up agenda was designed to implement Kenya’s constitution

President William Ruto has urged Kenyans to contemplate the 16-year journey since the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution on Katiba@16. During his address marking Katiba Day celebrations on August 27, 2026, in Nairobi, Ruto emphasized that the Constitution serves as the framework for governance, directing and restricting power while obligating state institutions to serve and protect citizens.

Highlighting his administration's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) as a vital tool for implementing constitutional obligations, Ruto stated that the agenda has been crafted to translate constitutional duties into tangible benefits for Kenyans. Over the past four years, his government has concentrated on converting constitutional requirements into programs and policies aimed at key sectors such as healthcare, housing, education, agriculture, and devolution.

Ruto's emphasis on BETA underscores his administration's assertion that development priorities are firmly rooted in the constitutional framework established in 2010. The Constitution introduced a devolved system of governance, enhanced public participation and accountability, and broadened citizens' rights via the Bill of Rights.

It also assigns obligations to the state to progressively realize social and economic rights. Ruto explained that his administration has endeavored to give practical significance to these provisions by executing initiatives intended to address the needs of ordinary Kenyans. In healthcare, the government has undertaken reforms around the Social Health Authority and initiatives to expand access to medical services.

In housing, the Affordable Housing Programme is presented as a response to the constitutional right to accessible and adequate housing. Education and agriculture have also been central to BETA, with the government tying investments in these sectors to skills development, food security, job creation, and improved livelihoods. In discussing the relationship between constitutional power and public accountability, Ruto called on Kenyans to reflect on whether the institutions established or fortified by the Constitution are effectively carrying out their mandates and whether public officials are adhering to constitutional limits.

The Constitution, Ruto pointed out, does not merely grant authority to state bodies but also imposes restrictions on how that authority can be applied. Ruto's Katiba@16 message places responsibility for addressing these gaps not only on government entities but also on citizens, who have a constitutional duty to demand accountability and safeguard the advancements made since 2010.