Meet Singapore PM Visiting Kenya Who Is Paid Ksh303M Per Month

President William Ruto on Thursday, May 18 hosted the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong at State House, with the PM on a two-day official state visit to strengthen bilateral ties.

Loong was born on February 10, 1952. He married Dr Wong Ming Yang in 1978 and was widowed in 1982, but remarried Ho Ching in 1985. He has one daughter and three sons.

He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and a Diploma in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom (UK). He was later a Mason Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, receiving a Master's in Public Administration.

Loong has been Singapore’s Prime Minister since 2004. He is the Secretary-General of the People’s Action Party (PAP).

President William Ruto with the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong during a media briefing at State House, Nairobi, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. /PCS

He led PAP to four consecutive Singapore General Elections victories in 2006, 2011, 2015 and 2020. He was first elected Member of Parliament (MP) in 1984 and has been re-elected eight times, most recently as an MP for the Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency.

Loong also chairs GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, and the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council, an international panel that provides strategic direction for Singapore’s Research and Development efforts.

As Prime Minister, he launched SkillsFuture to support Singaporeans in embracing lifelong learning and skills, and the Smart Nation initiative to use technology to create a future of better living, more opportunities and stronger communities.

Before becoming Prime Minister, Loong had held various Ministerial appointments, including being Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Finance, Minister for Trade and Industry and Second Minister for Defence. He was concurrently the Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore from 1998 until 2004.

Before joining politics, he had served in the Singapore Armed Forces, retiring as a Brigadier-General.

The Singapore PM is considered the highest-paid politician in the world and receives a salary of Ksh302.5 million ($2.2 million) inclusive of bonuses. The Singapore government pays this amount to discourage corruption in the PM’s office.

Loong is serving his fifth consecutive term as Prime Minister. He is currently in his 18th year as PM and was only 13 years old when Singapore gained from Malaysia on August 9, 1965, and rose to a first-world country from being only a small city in Malaysia.

In his first two years, his government enacted a "five-day work week" and extended maternity leave days. His proposal to build two Integrated Resorts (IRs) in Singapore to increase tourism revenue led to the development of the Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa.

Following the Great Recession, he oversaw the country's economic recovery within two years. Further political reforms in 2010 saw increased online activism as well as the number of Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) in Parliament.

Loong's libel suits against journalists and political opponents have been frequently covered by international news outlets.

Ruto & Loong Talks

President Ruto and Loong held bilateral talks and witnessed the signing of MoUs on ICT, climate change and skills development, with the Kenyan Head of State noting that the ICT agreement will facilitate cooperation on cybersecurity, digitisation of government services and ICT capacity building.

He explained that the MoU on skills development will facilitate collaboration in human resource capacity building for civil servants and students.

The Prime Minister noted that the signing of a climate change pact will build a collective action to deal with the “greatest existential threat to mankind”.

President Ruto and members of his Cabinet meet delegations from Singapore at State House, Nairobi. /PCS

“Our ties have been growing. We will further this by pursuing more economic opportunities that will stimulate our shared prosperity,” said Loong.

Kenya will consider Singapore’s strategic location in South East Asia as a gateway to its products, with President Ruto stating that the move is guided by the government’s commitment to expanding lucrative markets for its agricultural produce.

He said South Asia, made up of 10 countries and with a population of approximately 670 Million, offers Kenya a “unique and massive” market to sell its goods.