According to the President, Kenya had been forced into external borrowing largely because of a weak savings culture, noting that the country’s low domestic savings continue to expose it to costly foreign debt. “The reason why we roam capitals of other countries to borrow money is because we have refused to save our own money,” Ruto said during the County Assemblies Forum in Nairobi. “The money we borrow from China is the savings of the Chinese people. We had to go and tell them, this debt is too heavy, reduce the pressure because it is hurting us,” he said. Ruto questioned why the country should subject itself to such situations when it has the capacity to mobilise its own resources, pointing to stronger domestic savings frameworks in neighbouring countries.

Source: The Star February 20, 2026 15:12 UTC