President William Ruto has conferred Kenya’s highest national honour, the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart (CGH), on the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina.
Dr Adesina becomes the 20th recipient of the honour, which was first awarded in 1967 to Kenya’s founding President, Jomo Kenyatta. Other recipients include former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Nelson Mandela, Queen Elizabeth II, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, and Kenya’s former Presidents Daniel arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta, and Dr Ruto.
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Recognition for contributions to Kenya’s development
During the ceremony at State House in Nairobi, President Ruto commended Dr Adesina’s commitment to economic development in Kenya and across Africa. “You are amazing. You are a great leader. You deserve this honour and investiture,” Ruto said.
Dr Adesina and President Ruto have collaborated for over two decades, dating back to Adesina’s time in Kenya working with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). As Kenya’s Minister of Agriculture, Ruto worked with Adesina to introduce farm subsidies despite resistance from some international financial institutions.
President Ruto noted that Kenya has continued with similar policies, leading to increased agricultural production. “Our maize production increased from 40 million to 70 million bags last year. Our sales from tea generated more than 220 billion shillings [approximately $1.7 billion], the highest ever earnings,” he said.
Dr Adesina, accompanied by his wife, Mrs Grace Yemisi Adesina, said he was humbled by the recognition. “What a great honour! What a rare privilege! What a historic recognition!” he said.
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AfDB’s support for Kenya’s development
Kenya has been a key beneficiary of AfDB’s financial support since the Bank’s establishment in 1964. The Kenyan government recognised Adesina for transforming AfDB into a globally recognised financial institution, increasing its general capital from $93 billion to $318 billion.
AfDB has financed 167 projects in Kenya, with a financial commitment of $7.8 billion. The Bank’s current portfolio in the country consists of 45 projects worth $4.09 billion.
Key projects include:
- Last-mile connectivity: Increased the number of Kenyan households connected to electricity from 2.42 million in 2014 to 9.7 million in 2024.
- Thika-Nairobi highway expansion: Reduced travel time between the two locations from 2-3 hours to 30-45 minutes.
- Kenya Towns sustainable water supply and sanitation project: The Bank has provided $634 million, including 314.92 million euros for the Thwake Multipurpose Water Dam, set for completion in July 2026, to supply water to 1.3 million people in Kitui and Makueni counties and the Konza Techno-City in Machakos County.
- Support for the private sector: More than $700 million in credit lines to Kenyan commercial banks.
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President Ruto highlighted AfDB’s contribution to the country’s mortgage sector, supporting Kenya’s national housing programme, which has 150,000 houses under construction and has created 260,000 jobs.
Addressing youth unemployment
Adesina acknowledged Kenya’s high youth unemployment, referencing youth riots in 2024. AfDB is currently implementing eight projects worth $309 million to enhance skills development.
The Bank is preparing for Board approval of a new initiative, the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank of Kenya. “This will be a stand-alone financial institution, that will be 100 per cent dedicated to providing technical assistance, debt and equity financing for youth businesses in Kenya,” Adesina said.
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A lifelong honour
Dr Adesina was accompanied by key AfDB officials, including Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth Dr Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Nnenna Nwabufo, Director General for East Africa Kennedy Mbekeani, and Executive Director for Eastern Africa Jonathan Nzayikorera.
The event opened with a prayer by Dr Victor Oladokun, Senior Advisor to the AfDB President for Communication and Stakeholder Engagement. “This is an honour that I will cherish for life,” Dr Adesina said. “It will be a constant reminder that the country I love so much, Kenya, loves me back, appreciates and celebrates my leadership at the African Development Bank, and values and honours the incredible contributions of the Bank to its development. I accept this honour with great humility.”
