President William Ruto questioned why water costs more than milk during a three‑day Agriculture and Food Security Transformation Summit at Jamhuri Park, Nairobi, from 7 to 9 October 2026.

The comment, delivered before thousands of farmers, agribusiness stakeholders and officials, triggered sharp online ridicule and criticism.

Ruto also highlighted rising farm‑gate milk prices as evidence of progress in the dairy sector and announced Kenya has overtaken Egypt as Africa’s largest milk producer, with output rising from 4.6 billion to 5.4 billion litres.

He presented a Sh871 billion irrigation plan targeting an additional 1.5 million acres by 2035, supported by 50 mega‑dams and over 1,200 smaller water‑storage facilities.

The timing coincided with a months‑long milk shortage; formal deliveries to processors fell 3.7 % from 84.4 million litres in June to 81.3 million litres in July, with further declines expected for August.

Retailers have begun rationing, limiting customers to a few packets, while fresh‑milk prices have risen from Sh70 to Sh80 per litre, a 25 % jump for some popular brands.

The Consumer Federation of Kenya attributes the crisis to delayed seasonal rains and a 45 % surge in animal‑feed costs; farmers report production costs of about Sh60 per litre.

Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe added that erratic rainfall and brokers offering farmers above‑co‑operative prices have disrupted milk flow to processors.

Comparisons of water and milk costs show that basic tap or vendor water (20‑litre jerricans) sells for roughly Sh1‑Sh2.50 per litre, whereas bottled water can cost Sh100 per litre, making bottled water more expensive than milk, but basic water remains cheaper.

Domestic water tariffs from Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company range between Ksh68 and Ksh117 per cubic metre, yet safe tap water remains inaccessible for many households nationwide.