Matiang’i Slams Ruto’s ‘Singapore Agenda’ as Fantasy, Says Kenya Is Struggling to Survive

NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Interior Cabinet Secretary and presidential hopeful Dr. Fred Matiang’i has launched a scathing attack on President William Ruto’s vision of turning Kenya into “the Singapore of Africa,” calling it detached from reality and insulting to struggling citizens.

Speaking as political temperatures rise ahead of the 2027 general election, Matiang’i dismissed the agenda as “a joke,” arguing that it ignores the everyday hardships facing millions of Kenyans grappling with soaring living costs, joblessness, and a strained education system.

“You cannot talk about Singapore when we don’t even have kids in school,” Matiang’i said, accusing the government of prioritizing lofty rhetoric over basic governance.

He also took aim at President Ruto’s flagship Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), branding it “lying season one” and claiming it has delivered more public relations than real results. According to Matiang’i, the administration has focused on headline-grabbing cash handouts and pledges instead of sustainable policies that put food on the table.

President Ruto has repeatedly invoked Singapore as a model for Kenya’s long-term economic transformation, pointing to macroeconomic stabilization efforts such as easing inflation and managing currency volatility.

But critics say the comparison is deeply flawed. Opposition leaders argue that entrenched inequality, widespread corruption, unemployment, and persistent poverty continue to undermine growth, making the “Singapore dream” feel increasingly out of touch with lived reality.

Matiang’i called for an urgent shift toward practical solutions, urging the government to prioritize free and accessible education, universal healthcare, and aggressive job creation.

“Leadership is about solving today’s problems, not selling distant dreams,” he said.

With the 2027 elections drawing closer, analysts say the growing gap between political promises and citizens’ daily struggles could become a decisive factor at the ballot box — turning economic credibility into a major campaign battleground.