President William Ruto has dismissed critics calling for his exit after one term in office, saying their threats will not stop him from delivering on his promise to transform Kenya.

Speaking at the Nairobi County Empowerment Programme held at State House, Nairobi, the President emphasized that Kenyans will be the ones to decide who leads the country in the 2027 General Election, based on performance and track record.

"Wale majamaa wanajaribu kunitisha na one-term, nawaambia, we will not succumb to the blackmail, threats of one-term, we are committed to transforming our country," Ruto said on Saturday.

He insisted that he remains focused on implementing his manifesto regardless of political pressures.

The President also responded to critics of the Hustler Fund, highlighting the initiative’s success in supporting millions of Kenyans.

He said the Fund has disbursed over Sh72 billion to 26 million people and mobilized more than Sh5 billion in savings. "Kuna wajuaji wengine walienda Serena wamelipwa pesa na NGO fulani. Wanaenda pale wanasema Sh500, Sh1,000 haina maana kwa kuwa wanakunywa chai ya Sh1,000. Hawajui ya kwamba hiyo pesa inaweza kumsaidia kufanya biashara," he noted.

Ruto accused some detractors of being out of touch with the realities faced by ordinary Kenyans.

"The people who don't know what real Kenya looks like are giving us lectures from air-conditioned offices and posh offices in Nairobi about the hustles of ordinary people. They have no understanding of how real Kenya is."

His remarks echoed former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s recent appeal for Kenyans to give the current government space to work without distraction.

Speaking during the burial of Dr. Phoebe Asiyo in Homa Bay County, Odinga dismissed the ‘one-term’ chants, saying, “To the naysayers, give us space and judge us in 2027. This is going to last till 2027, after that we’ll see where we’ll go.”

“If you’re saying one term, one term…so what? It’s Kenyans who will decide the term,” he added.

At the event, President Ruto outlined key pillars of his administration’s plans, including transforming agriculture, improving education, building an inclusive economy, and strengthening healthcare through the Social Health Authority program.

He said the government will not bow to political pressure and remains focused on these priorities.

“We will not succumb to the blackmail of one term. We know where we are going as a nation,”Ruto said.

“We are transforming our healthcare so that even ordinary citizens can go to the hospital in our SHA program, and we will not we will never succumb to your threat of one term, because we know where we are going as a nation," he added.

The President also announced a new youth empowerment initiative backed by the World Bank, which will provide Sh5 billion starting next month to support young entrepreneurs across the country.

Under the program, 70 entrepreneurs, mostly youth, in every ward will receive Sh50,000 each to start or grow their businesses, aiming to reach 100,000 beneficiaries nationwide.

During the ceremony, the youth were given equipment such as motorbikes, car wash machines, and portable concrete mixers to help launch their businesses. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and other city leaders were present at the event.