President William Ruto on Friday, August 18 met with US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman a day after former Prime Minister Raila Odinga launched a scathing attack on her at the ongoing Devolution Conference.
According to a statement by Ruto, Whitman was accompanying Delaware Senator Chris Coons who is currently visiting the country.
The Head of State noted that the meeting centred around the bilateral partnerships between the two countries.
Ruto's climate change initiative was also discussed at the closed-door meeting attended by Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secreatry Alfred Mutua.
"Kenya is keen on enhancing its relations with the United States to expand trade and investment opportunities for citizens of both nations. This mutually beneficial partnership will extend to climate change mitigation efforts and environmental conservation," read the statement in part.
Strengthening of devolution units also centred the discussions.
Regarding Raila's attack on Whitman, Ruto wondered why the ODM boss was attacking the diplomat who were helping the country meet its development targets.
“The American ambassador said statements of facts- she said the last election was the freest and fairest in the history of Kenya, and that is a statement of fact, and she said Kenya is open for business, which is a statement of fact," he stated
"Surely, let us have some decorum and respect ourselves as we demand respect from others.”
Ruto's meeting with Coons and Whitman draws political eyebrows given the ongoing tiff between the US ambassador and the opposition.
Notably, the Delaware Senator is a good friend of Raila. It is yet to be known whether ongoing talks between Raila and Ruto also featured in the early Friday morning talks.
However, Ruto acknowledged that the duo talked about the democracy in Kenya and the security situation in the country and the region.
Ruto was meeting Coons days after the Senator held a private meeting with Raila in Nairobi. Coons is responsible for the truce that was brokered between Ruto and Raila in April.
Various unconfirmed reports indicate that the ongoing talks between Raila and Ruto were part of Coon's agenda during his visit to the country.
