President William Ruto has fired back at critics and media narratives suggesting Kenya is on a downward trajectory, insisting the country remains stable and continues making significant progress. In remarks that challenge the media’s role in shaping public perception, Ruto argued that negative headlines don’t reflect Kenya’s actual reality.
Speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, the President shared a revealing conversation with a journalist friend. “I once asked a journalist friend why it is rare to find a positive story in the media,” Ruto recounted. The response was illuminating: “My friend told me that bad news sells, but good news does not.”
This exchange led Ruto to a broader observation about media coverage and national perception. “When you read the headlines, some people run their businesses and keep progressing, but the bad news does not tell the whole story, it just helps sell the paper,” he explained.
The President was emphatic in his rejection of failure narratives. “Kenya is not, and will never be, a failed state,” he declared. “I don’t care how many headlines claim Kenya goes in the wrong direction. This country will never go in the wrong direction.”
Ruto acknowledged that positive developments often go unreported because they don’t generate the same reader engagement as crises and controversies. “You won’t see good news in the headlines,” he noted, suggesting that media business models incentivize negative coverage regardless of the broader national picture.
The President encouraged Kenyans to look beyond headlines and recognize the country’s achievements. “We have many things to thank God for, and I say that without any fear of contradiction. God has shown grace to our nation over the last three years,” he stated.
His message to citizens was clear: don’t let negative media coverage shape your entire perception of the country’s direction. “If you read the headlines, just know that people still run their businesses, and for their businesses to succeed, they have to write about bad news because that is what sells,” he said.
For the complete report on President Ruto’s remarks, visit https://nairobiwire.com/2026/05/ruto-2027-election-god-will-decide-kenya-calm.html
Whether you agree with Ruto’s assessment or not, his comments raise important questions about media coverage, public perception, and the gap between headlines and lived reality. In an age of information overload, critical media literacy has never been more important.