Suluhu Govt Counters Ruto Over Remarks Claiming Kenya Is Better-Developed Than Tanzania
According to the Head of State, Kenya’s extensive road network is one of the key reasons fuel prices remain higher compared to neighbouring countries.
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
The Tanzanian government has pushed back against President William Ruto’s controversial remarks comparing Kenya’s infrastructure with that of its East African neighbours.
Ruto, speaking during a church service on April 19, defended the high cost of fuel in Kenya, arguing that the country’s status as a middle-income economy comes with heavier infrastructure responsibilities, especially road maintenance.
He claimed Kenya has about 20,000 kilometres of tarmacked roads, insisting this figure surpasses the combined road networks of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Tanzania President Samia Suluhu together with President William Ruto at the Launch of Raila Odinga's AUC bid at State House, Nairobi. /PCS
"Kenya is a middle-income country. Our neighbours are the least developed countries. If you want to compare Kenya with others, compare Kenya with other middle-income countries," said Ruto.
He further added, "If you add the number of kilometres in Uganda, Tanzania, DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan, it is not 20,000 km, so the 20,000 kilometres we have in Kenya is more than all the tarmac in all the other 7 countries in East Africa."
According to the Head of State, Kenya’s extensive road network is one of the key reasons fuel prices remain higher compared to neighbouring countries.
However, just a day later, the administration of President Samia Suluhu rejected his assertions, terming them inaccurate and misleading.
In a response on Tuesday, April 21, a Tanzanian minister stated that Tanzania alone has about 16,000 kilometres of tarmacked roads—only 4,000 kilometres less than Kenya’s figure.
He further argued that when the region’s road networks are combined, the total exceeds 22,000 kilometres, contradicting Ruto’s claim of 20,000 kilometres.
"It must be known that Tanzania is a middle-low income country, and in East Africa, we are only two countries, Tanzania and Kenya. Tanzania has a total of 16,000 kilometres of tarmac roads in both urban and rural areas," said the minister.
"So those figures belittling us as other East African countries, those figures mentioned are untrue," the Tanzanian minister added.
The exchange has since ignited fresh regional debate over infrastructure comparisons and economic standing in East Africa, amid ongoing global pressure on fuel prices.
