President William Ruto has had the first conversation with US President-Elect Donald Trump amid restlessness in the country over the extent of influence wielded by the US Ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman.
Taking to his official X on Friday, November 7, Ruto revealed that the two had a candid conversation where he briefed the US President-Elect on several mutual interest areas.
His conversation with the US president-elect comes just a day after he had a conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who challenged him to tighten security in Kenya and fight against the heightening cases of abductions.
According to Ruto, the two discussed issues related to trade, investment, and development. Ruto also seized the opportunity to congratulate Trump on his victory officially.
"I have had a telephone conversation with US President-Elect Donald Trump. We discussed areas of mutual interest that are of benefit to the citizens of our two countries, including trade and investment, security, and good governance," President Ruto revealed.
Ruto also informed Trump of Kenya's peace Mission to Haiti, expressing hope that the two nations will continue to collaborate on the mission together.
"I briefed President Trump on the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti and possible areas of cooperation with the US government on this important conflict resolution initiative," Ruto continued.
This has been a contentious issue, and on Friday, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa asked President-elect Trump to end Kenya's role in the mission and allow police officers to return home.
Kenya's involvement in Haiti reflects its increasing role in global peace efforts. Ruto invited Trump to explore potential areas of collaboration in this peacekeeping mission launched by Kenya with the support of the United Nations to address violence and instability in the Caribbean nation.
Trump, a Republican won the election this week, after securing enough electoral votes to complete a stunning return to the White House after four years out of power, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat.
The call reinforced the longstanding ties between Kenya and the US, with the leaders affirming their commitment to bolstering economic and security collaborations, particularly as Kenya seeks to expand trade and attract more American investment.
In a call with Secretary Blinken on Thursday, the US Secretary of State emphasized the importance of full accountability for security forces reportedly involved in violently quelling protests earlier this year and the ongoing abductions.
He challenged Ruto to continually engage the Kenyan youth on policy matters following the Gen Z protests that highlighted the importance of accountability among leaders.
The call with Blinken and the latest call with Trump reflect a renewed focus on the close Kenya-US partnership despite the power transition in the US.
