Free Money? Good News for Kenyans as Ruto Makes This Announcement During Mashujaa Day Celebrations

President William Ruto has announced plans to inject an additional KSh5 billion into the Hustler Fund before the end of 2026, in a move aimed at expanding access to affordable loans for Kenyans.

The President made the announcement on Tuesday, October 20, during the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.

Ruto said the additional funding would help more people access credit and support small businesses across the country.

According to the Head of State, the Hustler Fund has already advanced KSh98 billion in loans without requiring borrowers to provide collateral. He added that more than 10 million Kenyans were regular borrowers under the programme.

The fund was introduced to help people who struggle to access loans from traditional financial institutions, including small traders, informal workers and entrepreneurs seeking money to grow their businesses.

During his address, Ruto defended his administration’s economic record, pointing to measures taken to expand access to credit and support business activities.

He also reported that the value of Kenya’s stock market had increased from KSh2 trillion in 2022 to KSh4.2 trillion. Foreign direct investment, he said, had risen from KSh194 billion in 2022 to KSh413 billion in 2025.

The additional Hustler Fund allocation comes as Kenyans continue to raise concerns about the cost of living, unemployment and the challenges facing small businesses.

However, the announcement did not include details on how many additional borrowers would benefit from the new allocation or whether loan limits and repayment terms would change.

The government is expected to provide further details on the funding as it moves towards implementation before the end of the year.

As the 2027 General Election approaches, the Hustler Fund remains one of the key economic programmes associated with Ruto’s administration.

Do you think the additional KSh5 billion will make it easier for small business owners to access loans?

Scavenger feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com