Black Americans gathered on the South Lawn of the White House to witness Kenyan President William Ruto’s state arrival hosted by President Joe Biden.
“Let me take this opportunity, in a very special way, to bring you warm greetings from the people, the government of Kenya, and your brothers and sisters across the African continent,” Ruto said.
The Kenyan president’s official trip to the U.S. is the most recent African nation to be formally embraced in this manner, with the last delegation visiting over 15 years ago. The welcome program started early in the morning and opened with hymns performed by Howard University’s Gospel Choir, a 21-gun salute and both country’s national anthem, with hundreds of guests in attendance.
“For me, I am extremely happy because he is a brother from Africa. The President is from our region so I was doubly happy to receive him,” Mathilde Mukantabana, Rwanda’s Ambassador to the U.S. told The Informer about President Ruto. “I hope they continue because those kinds of relationships can be very important. I hope more presidents will be visiting but what I can say is that it was good.”
Among an audience of hundreds were also Washingtonians, like local teacher Rictor Craig, who was invited to bring his young students to enjoy this event for the first time. As co-founder and head of school at Statesmen College Preparatory Academy for Boys in Southeast, he said the ceremony welcoming the Kenyan president left his students feeling encouraged and inspired.
“Our boys could not stop talking about that experience. They’re nine so they don’t truly understand yet,” said Craig. “On as many occasions as we can, we try to put our boys in front of a spectrum of Black men that are successful in the world, just like the president of Kenya, like Obama. We try to show them examples of Black men leading.”
The young men were among the seated participants in the crowd, alongside both Ruto and Biden’s children. As luminaries and dignitaries welcomed the foreign leader, Biden made it clear that he was committed to partnering with Kenya in several ways.
“For while we may have been divided by distance, we’re united by the same democratic values,” Biden shared.
He announced that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) would provide $1.3 million for a youth empowerment program aimed at strengthening political engagement at the subnational level and $600,000 to advance disability inclusion in Kenya.
“By undertaking this state visit, we will have the opportunity to discuss and to have a conversation about building global partnership and leadership around the issues that pose challenges regionally, globally, and in countries like Kenya and many others– challenges of climate change, challenges of insecurity, challenges around debt distress,” said President Ruto.
The nation launched the Nairobi Initiative geared toward eradicating student hunger last year. It’s well known as the largest school meal program on the continent and aims to serve 250,000 pre-primary and grade 1-8 learners in the county’s public schools with a plate daily.
Throughout Ruto’s time in America, the leader has been working to build connections with people like Tyler Perry and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens in hopes of creating more economic stability for his people.
The leader was granted honorary membership by the Congressional Black Caucus and designated as a non-NATO major ally by President Biden, a symbol of a more permanent political tie.
“I am making this designation in recognition of Kenya’s many years of contributions to the United States Africa Command area of responsibility globally and in recognition of our own national interest in deepening bilateral defense and security cooperation with the Government of Kenya,” said President Biden. “Kenya is one of the United States government’s top counterterrorism and security partners in sub-Saharan Africa, and the designation will demonstrate that the United States sees African contributions to global peace and security as equivalent to those of our Major Non-NATO Allies in other regions.”
