President William Ruto is set to travel to Kigali, Rwanda, to attend the inauguration ceremony of Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
This visit marks President Ruto’s first international trip following recent domestic protests criticising his extensive foreign engagements.
The trip comes at the invitation of President Kagame, who was re-elected for a fourth term in the July 15th elections.
"President William Ruto travels to Kigali, Rwanda, today at the invitation of H.E. Paul Kagame to attend the inauguration ceremony of President Kagame for his fourth term, following the successful July 15th election," Hussein Mohamed, State House Spokesperson, revealed on his official social media handles.
Ruto, who was known for his international engagements, last travelled abroad in mid-June when he attended a summit in Italy before extending to Switzerland.
After an extended period of restricted travel due to the escalating unrest in the country, President William Ruto is leaving the country for an engagement outside Kenya, marking his first trip abroad in over two months.
The President, once known for his frequent global travels, had been notably grounded as Kenya grappled with a wave of anti-government and anti-tax demonstrations.
In the past month, President Ruto, who had previously struggled to remain in the country for more than three consecutive weeks, was effectively placed in a 'lockdown'.
His international travel plans took a backseat as he focused on navigating the domestic crisis, which erupted on June 18 when protests intensified across the nation.
The unrest, driven largely by the youth, prompted twice-weekly nationwide demonstrations that saw the President adopt a more localised approach to governance.
During this period, Ruto's travels were limited to a handful of local visits aimed at assessing government projects, alongside regular Sunday appearances at church services.
The President's globe-trotting reputation was firmly on hold, with his administration prioritizing the country's internal stability over international diplomacy.
Since the start of the protests, President Ruto has missed or rescheduled six significant international trips, a contrast to his previously packed itinerary.
Among the missed engagements was the sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union (AU) in Accra, Ghana.
This was particularly notable given Ruto's appointment in February as the AU Champion for Institutional Reform—a role previously held by Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
The missed trips also included three within Africa, two to Europe, and one to the United States.
Before the unrest, President Ruto had made an impressive 62 visits to 38 countries within his first 20 months in office, solidifying his status as an active participant on the global stage. A move that rubbed a section of Kenyans the wrong way. By , Kenyans.co.ke
