Kenyans Living Longer as Life Expectancy Jumps to 66.8 Years Under Ruto, Treasury Reveals
Kenyans are now living significantly longer than they were just three years ago, according to new figures released by the National Treasury, with life expectancy rising to 66.8 years in 2025, up from 63.5 years in 2022.
The latest statistics were unveiled on Wednesday, July 22, during the launch of the 2027/2028 Budget Preparation Process, where the Treasury highlighted key milestones achieved under President William Ruto’s administration across the health, education and environmental sectors.
The new estimate also exceeds the World Bank’s 2024 projection of 64 years for Kenya, suggesting continued improvements in healthcare access, disease prevention, nutrition and overall living standards.
According to the Treasury, the increase reflects sustained government investment in the health sector, improved sanitation, expanded access to medical services, better nutrition and broader socioeconomic gains that have helped reduce mortality rates across the country.
The World Bank defines life expectancy at birth as the average number of years a newborn is expected to live if current mortality patterns remain unchanged throughout their lifetime.
The Treasury’s latest estimate places Kenya much closer to its East African neighbours. World Bank data for 2024 showed Uganda with a life expectancy of 68 years, while Tanzania stood at 67 years, indicating Kenya is steadily closing the gap.
Early demographic data also suggests that women continue to outlive men. Women are estimated to have an average life expectancy of approximately 66.5 years, while men are expected to live between 60 and 62 years, reflecting a trend observed in many countries worldwide.
Beyond healthcare, the Treasury pointed to improvements in education, saying the pupil-to-teacher ratio has improved from 41:1 in 2022 to 38:1 in 2025 following the recruitment of 100,000 teachers. The government also reported increased enrolment across pre-primary, primary, secondary, university and technical education institutions during the same period.
The environment sector also featured prominently in the government’s progress report.
According to the Treasury, more than 1.7 billion trees have been planted since President Ruto assumed office in 2022 under the 15 Billion Trees Programme. The government further reported restoring 389,685 hectares of degraded forests and landscapes, establishing 40,900.94 hectares of agroforestry on farmlands and creating 13,426 hectares of commercial forest plantations in Kenya’s dryland regions.
The Treasury said the figures demonstrate the government’s continued investment in healthcare, education and environmental conservation as part of a broader strategy aimed at improving the quality of life and long-term wellbeing of Kenyans.
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