President William Ruto has announced that the government will allocate Ksh60 million to Starehe Boys Centre to replace its asbestos roof, which has been outlawed due to health risks. The funding, he clarified, will come directly from government coffers, not a personal donation.
Speaking during the 70th anniversary celebration of the Africa Inland Church (AIC) Ziwani, held at Starehe Boys on Sunday, President Ruto emphasized the importance of improving the school’s infrastructure. “As you can see, the school has an asbestos roof, and it has been banned. The Principal has told me that they need Ksh60 million to replace the roof. The government of Kenya is going to provide that resource,” he said.
The President announced that the renovation works would commence during the December holiday to ensure classes are ready for use by January. In addition to the infrastructural facelift, Ruto promised to assign 20 more teachers to the school from the upcoming batch of 20,000 teachers set to be employed in November and December.
In a personal reflection, Ruto shared his childhood admiration for the prestigious school, revealing that it was his dream institution when he sat for his Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) in 1980. “I really wanted to come to this school when I was in Standard Seven. I prayed to pass and be the best student, but I didn’t make the cut,” he recalled, eliciting laughter from the audience.
Founded in 1959 as a rescue centre for boys displaced during Kenya’s independence struggle, Starehe Boys Centre has grown into one of the country’s most respected academic institutions. True to its humanitarian roots, the school continues to admit disadvantaged students, offering free or subsidised education supported by contributions from paying students.
President Ruto’s pledge signals renewed government commitment to education and heritage institutions that have shaped generations of Kenyan leaders.
