Bottom up it is: Ruto reacts to People Daily’s report on State House’s endless visitors – People Daily

William Ruto has addressed criticism following a recent People Daily report highlighting the large and frequent influx of visitors at the State House, and the associated cost of maintaining that flow. The newspaper claimed that the presidency had been spending some KSh 2 million a day on printing services—largely for invitation cards for guests.
In his reaction, President Ruto framed the visitor policy as a deliberate feature of his bottom-up governance approach. He argued that the State House is no longer just an elite administrative HQ, but a place for ordinary citizens — from grassroots delegations, youth groups and women’s organisations — to engage directly with the presidency. Critics, however, have questioned whether the openness is sustainable or whether it diverts resources from other pressing national priorities. The report by People Daily cast doubt on whether the cost burden had been fully justified.
Ruto defended the approach, contesting that he had not lowered the caliber of the institution but expanded access. I have just improved the mere citizen to come to the State House, he asserted. People Daily+1 He insisted the residence belongs to Kenyans and should reflect inclusive governance, saying that his administration’s openness to everyday citizens signals commitment to accountability and participation. However, the debate persists: with rising demands on public funds, transparency and cost-management will be key to maintaining public confidence.
As the dialogue continues, the presidency will likely face increased calls to publish more detailed breakdowns of the costs tied to the new visitor model, alongside evidence of measurable impact on citizen engagement and outcomes. If the bottom-up strategy is to succeed credibly, ensuring that accessibility does not come at the expense of institutional effectiveness will be vital.