Road to Singapore: Timelines of Ruto’s journey to get Kenya to first-world status

In just about two months, the timelines of the journey to move Kenya from a third-world country to the first world status have changed three times, with the latest pronouncement by President William Ruto indicating the country will be halfway through the journey by next year.

The president’s ambitious Ksh.5 trillion journey to Singapore has also undergone several changes to the core pillars supporting the journey.

The timelines of the journey from first-world status to Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and other first-world countries have undergone drastic changes with time.

President William Ruto, who attended this year’s Tobong’u Lore celebrations on Tuesday, stated that the country will be halfway there next year.

“Nataka niseme nikiwa hapa Turkana, hiyo plan ya 5 trillion tumeanza jana by next year we will be halfway. Nyinyi mnanielewa? Wengine wanasema haiwezekani,” said Ruto on December 16, 2025.

The president slammed his doubters, who have labelled the plan a pipe dream.

 “Mimi najua inawezekana. Si walituambia hii barabara ya kutoka Kitale haitafanyika? Si hiyo barabara tumejenga? Ni kweli ama si kweli?” Ruto posed.

About a month ago, when he laid down his ambitious Ksh.5 trillion project to Parliament during his State of the Nation Address, President Ruto was at it again, announcing that 4-pillars anchoring his economic empowerment plan would take 10 years to realise.

“To scale up our transport and logistics programme, the Ministry of Roads and Transport has already mapped out a comprehensive network of 2,500 highways for dualling and 28,000km of roads to be tarmacked in the next 10 years,” the President said on November 20, 2025.

However, two months earlier, the journey was a little longer than 10 years.

“We want to move this country from a third-world country to a first-world country by the next 30 years, which is by 2055,” he said on October 12, 2025.

The president has also revised the key pillars anchoring his plan from 4 to three when he addressed the nation during the 62nd Jamhuri Day.