President Ruto to Deliver State of the Nation Address Next Week

President William Ruto will deliver his annual address to Parliament on Thursday, 20 November 2025, during a special joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. in the National Assembly Chamber, Nairobi.

The session was confirmed in a formal notice issued on Tuesday, 11 November, by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula and Senate Speaker Amason Kingi. The Speakers said the sitting was convened following the President’s official communication of his availability, in accordance with Article 132(1)(b) of the Constitution, which requires the Head of State to address Parliament once every year.

Commonly known as the State of the Nation Address, the annual speech allows the President to present the government’s achievements, outline policy priorities, and reflect on national progress. The event is ceremonial, with the President entering the Chamber in a formal procession led by the maces of both Houses, symbolising parliamentary authority. 

Once the address is delivered, the sitting is adjourned, and members of Parliament later debate its content. This year’s address comes at a politically sensitive time. President Ruto last spoke to Parliament on 24 November 2024, two months after the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. 

That speech focused on stability and reassurance during a period of political uncertainty. The forthcoming address is expected to hold similar significance, offering the President an opportunity to reaffirm his administration’s agenda and respond to key national issues.

Beyond its ceremony, the annual address serves as an important mechanism of accountability. It enables the President to report on government performance and set the tone for cooperation between the executive and the legislature in the year ahead.