President Ruto Reaffirms 2022 Campaign Promise to Provide Free Diapers for New Mothers

By Mark Vundi

NAIROBI, Kenya — President William Ruto has reiterated his administration’s commitment to providing free diapers to mothers upon discharge from hospitals following childbirth, revisiting a key pledge made during the 2022 campaign.

Speaking during a Presidential Town Hall session at the Kenya National Health Summit held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi on Tuesday evening, August 18, 2026, the Head of State assured citizens that mechanisms are being established to make the promise a reality before the end of his current term.

Addressing participants during the health forum, President Ruto emphasized that leaders must remain accountable for the commitments they make to the electorate before taking office.

“I made a commitment that we are going to make sure that every mother who gives birth, when they leave the hospital, we are going to make sure that they have diapers. That is a commitment I must fulfill because we have already set the mechanism in place,” President Ruto stated.

The pledge to supply free diapers was originally introduced as part of the Kenya Kwanza Women’s Charter ahead of the 2022 General Election. Under the initial proposal, the government aimed to provide a three-month supply of diapers to new mothers as part of an expanded maternal healthcare framework.

Revisiting the commitment, President Ruto assured the audience that his administration remains on track to deliver on the pledges made under the charter.

“I can tell this auditorium that by the time I complete my first term, I will have discharged all the responsibilities and commitments I made, and make sure that every mother who walks out of hospital will walk out with diapers once they give birth,” he added.

The President explained that the initiative is being integrated into ongoing reforms under the Social Health Authority (SHA). The administration is currently reviewing the SHA benefits package to broaden coverage for various treatments and services, including maternal and postnatal care.

Alongside the diaper rollout plans, President Ruto highlighted broader restructuring efforts within the country’s healthcare system, including the expansion of maternal healthcare reimbursements.

Under the revised Linda Jamii scheme, which restructured the former Linda Mama programme, facility reimbursements for normal deliveries have increased from KSh2,500 to KSh10,000, while reimbursements for Caesarean sections have been standardized at KSh30,000 across public, private, and faith-based health facilities.