President William Ruto chaired a Cabinet meeting at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday during which far-reaching policy decisions were made in key sectors, including health, infrastructure, energy, and youth empowerment.
A major highlight was the endorsement of the Quality Healthcare and Patient Safety Bill, 2025, which seeks to transform the health sector by eliminating entrenched impunity and malpractices.
The Bill seeks to eliminate systemic fraud, regulatory loopholes, and conflicts of interest that have long undermined healthcare delivery and public trust. It addresses glaring gaps that have allowed unqualified and fraudulent health facilities to be licensed and operate.
This lack of clear standards, coupled with weak oversight and collusion among facilities, regulators, and practitioners, has left patients vulnerable and eroded accountability.
Cabinet noted that the many failures in the health system were a direct result of these weaknesses. The new Bill establishes a unified quality assurance framework and introduces strict mandatory licensing, registration, and accreditation for all health facilities, labs, and ambulance services.
The legislation will also create a powerful Quality Healthcare and Patient Safety Authority, tasked with enforcing national care standards, overseeing implementation, and monitoring performance.
The proposed law introduces quality improvement plans at the facility level, enforces patient rights, and sets clear criteria for emergency medical services, as the government aims to finally tackle the root causes of health sector corruption, protect patients, and deliver safe, effective, and high-standard healthcare that universal health coverage pledges.
To tackle these issues, the Bill introduces a quality assurance framework, mandates rigorous licensing and accreditation for all health institutions, and establishes an independent Quality Healthcare and Patient Safety Authority.
This organisation will enforce standards, protect patient rights, and enhance accountability across the sector.
The Cabinet also approved recommendations from the Presidential Taskforce on Religious Organisations, a landmark move to safeguard the integrity of religious practice while curbing exploitation. The proposed reforms, developed in response to the Shakahola tragedy, place religious leaders at the centre of accountability efforts, emphasising self-regulation over State control.
Key proposals include enacting a legal framework to govern religious organisations, establishing a Religious Affairs Commission, and strengthening umbrella faith organisations for coordination.
The model combines institutional autonomy with supportive oversight, advocating for leadership standards, reforms to religious broadcasting, and civic education to foster tolerance and prevent extremism.
A multi-agency collaboration involving security agencies, interfaith platforms, and educational institutions will support implementation.
To address pending bills, the Cabinet approved further measures to accelerate momentum in the roads sector.
This builds on the successful rollout of the road financing policy through the securitisation of the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF), which has already disbursed KSh64.2 billion, settling 40% of verified contractor claims of 575 contracts covering 393 projects.
To deepen this novel model in infrastructure development, the Cabinet approved an additional payment of up to 40%, bringing the total settlement to 80%, on the condition that contractors extend the final payment deadline by another 120 days.
These measures have resolved long-standing financial obligations, unlocked stalled projects, improved contractor cash flow, and ensured continuity in infrastructure development nationwide.
In another significant move, the Cabinet gave the green light for the reinstatement of Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) into the privatisation programme, paving the way for partial divestiture of government shares in a move aimed at democratising ownership by Kenyans at the Nairobi Securities Exchange and unlocking the company’s full commercial potential.
The decision reflects the government’s policy shift toward reducing its role in doing business and instead enabling the private sector and industry experts to drive growth, efficiency, and innovation.
KPC, a strategic player in Kenya’s energy supply chain, has maintained a strong profitability record and holds significant asset value. However, the Cabinet noted that the company has not yet reached its optimum performance and market value, largely due to bureaucratic constraints and public sector inefficiencies.
Bringing in private capital and professional expertise is expected to inject new energy into the company, modernise operations, and position KPC as a regional logistics and energy powerhouse.
Cabinet was reminded that similar moves in the past have yielded transformative results. Safaricom, Kenya Commercial Bank, and KenGen are prime examples of formerly State-controlled entities that became high-performing companies following privatisation, driving shareholder value, expanding regionally, and creating thousands of jobs.
The divestiture of KPC is expected to follow this path, boosting investor confidence and supporting the development of Kenya’s capital markets.
The approval marks a shift from State dominance in commercial enterprises to a model that embraces private sector-led growth, operational discipline, and accountability, ultimately ensuring that public resources are better used to deliver essential services.
On electrification, the Cabinet has given the nod to the implementation of Phase III of the Last Mile Connectivity Project, targeting 180,500 new electricity connections for households, schools, health centres, and MSMEs, while strengthening Kenya’s distribution grid.
The project addresses key challenges, including high connection costs, underutilised transformers, and weak infrastructure in remote areas.
Implemented in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Canada-AfDB Climate Fund, the programme will give priority to counties with low electricity access and no prior support from similar initiatives.
It will also optimise the use of idle transformers and reinforce strained substations to improve reliability.
The project is expected to deliver broad socio-economic benefits, including access to clean and affordable power for marginalised communities, round-the-clock health services, enhanced learning through digital tools, and support for over 10,500 MSMEs through three-phase power connections.
Energy security was further boosted by the approval of the Olkaria VII Geothermal Power Project, a strategic initiative that will inject 80.3MW of clean, reliable baseload electricity into the national grid by June 2027.
The project will tap 19 production wells, with plans for seven more over its 25-year operational life, and will ensure sustainability through the reinjection of geothermal fluids.
Olkaria VII is designed to meet Kenya’s rising energy demands driven by population growth, industrial expansion in Special Economic Zones, and the rapid uptake of electric vehicles.
With annual power demand projected to grow by 100MW, and EV energy needs expected to reach 334MW by 2032, the plant will play a critical role in supporting this shift. Kenya’s industrial strategy will also require over 1,000MW in new capacity by 2032.
The project, to be undertaken in partnership with the Government of Japan and the European Investment Bank, will help reduce reliance on costly and polluting fossil fuels, while reinforcing Kenya’s position as a regional leader in renewable energy.
In line with the government’s plan to create employment and opportunities for the youth, the Cabinet endorsed the August 2025 launch of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project, a flagship government and World Bank initiative targeting over 820,000 vulnerable and unemployed youth, including persons with disabilities.
The programme aims to enhance employability, skills recognition, and access to decent work, and is a key pillar of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
Structured into four components, NYOTA includes paid on-the-job training, entrepreneurship support, and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) certification. Currently, over one million applications have been received.
The ongoing call for the On-the-Job Experience programme targets 90,000 youth for three- to six-month paid placements with employers, with monthly stipends of KSh6,000 deposited into Haba Haba savings accounts. Applications are open from 11th July to 15th August 2025.
On conservation, the Cabinet ratified the transfer of Amboseli National Park to the County Government of Kajiado, fulfilling a presidential directive following a petition by the Maasai community.
The transfer, executed under Article 187 of the Constitution, introduces a phased co-management model in which Kajiado County assumes operational control while Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) retains national conservation responsibilities.
The National Treasury will compensate KWS for any revenue losses, with a portion of park income still allocated to national conservation.
The move is intended to empower local communities, promote sustainable stewardship, and ensure equitable sharing of ecological and economic benefits.
Additionally, the Cabinet approved the Power of Mercy Bill, 2025, which aims to clarify the implementation of Article 133 of the Constitution and modernise the presidential pardon system. The proposed law introduces a structured, accountable framework for pardons, including mechanisms for supervised early release of fully rehabilitated inmates.
These reforms are expected to ease prison overcrowding and reduce the estimated annual cost of KSh87,600 per inmate.
The Bill also enhances public safety through reintegration protocols and repeals outdated provisions under the Cap. 94, reinforcing the mandate of the Power of Mercy Advisory Committee.
Finally, the Cabinet was briefed on Kenya’s readiness to host the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), a historic milestone as it marks the first time in over 40 years, since the 1987 All-Africa Games, that the country is hosting a continental sporting event.
The Harambee Stars, currently in full residential training under a new technical team, are placed in Group A alongside Angola, DR Congo, Morocco, and Zambia.
The team recently received a morale boost during a visit by the President to the Moi International Sports Center, Kasarani, training facility.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has certified key venues, including Nyayo and Kasarani stadia, which are equipped with CCTV, Venue Operating Centres and strict access controls.
Security measures are in place, with CAF-trained police and National Youth Service stewards deployed. Kenya is fully prepared to host a secure and successful CHAN 2024.