Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi delivered a pointed New Year's message to President William Ruto, urging him to cease "feeding Kenyans on Singapore fairy tales" while the country's education system faces significant challenges. Mwangangi argued that Kenya cannot aspire to match countries like Singapore without providing free, quality education, a promise he claims the current government is not fulfilling.

• Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi criticized President William Ruto's comparisons of Kenya to Singapore, stating they are misleading given the state of Kenya's education system.
• The Deputy Governor emphasized that Singapore's transformation was built on a strong education system, which he believes the Kenyan government is undermining.
• The Ministry of Education had previously dismissed claims of increased public secondary school fees for 2026, insisting tuition remains free under the Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) program.