Diplomatic goof: Ruto's remarks risk deepening Kenya's isolation

President William Ruto is welcomed by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. With them is China's First Lady Peng Liyuan. PHOTO REBECA NDUKU/PCS. 24/4/2025

Kenya’s diplomatic footing continued to slide this week after President William Ruto’s remarks in China sparked a backlash at home deepening concerns about the country’s entanglement in global rivalries and its inconsistent foreign policy stance.

Speaking Wednesday at a forum in Beijing, Ruto appeared to downplay the economic standing of neighboring Uganda and Tanzania, describing them as “least developed countries” (LDCs) in contrast to Kenya’s middle-income status.

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