Jill Biden Meets Ruto, Gachagua Before Leaving Kenya [PHOTOS]
Ruto expressed that the successful tour would culminate in future visits to the country...
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![Jill Biden Meets Ruto, Gachagua Before Leaving Kenya [PHOTOS]](https://viraltea.co.ke/uploads/images/2023/02/image_750x_63fb922e6c22a.jpg)
First Lady of the United States (US), Dr Jill Biden marked her last visit to Kenya through a meeting with President William Ruto and his Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi on Sunday, February 26.
The Head of State in a statement appreciated Dr Biden for her three-day visit to the country which was aimed at enhancing collaboration between Kenya and America, to gain an understanding of the effects of climate change and the advancement of women's economic empowerment.
Ruto expressed that the successful tour would culminate in future visits to the country, further passing on his greetings to her husband, President Joe Biden.
President William Ruto (right) and US First Lady Jill Biden in the company of DP Rigathi Gachagua and Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi shortly before her departure at JKIA on February 26, 2023. /WILLIAM RUTO
"Thank you First Lady Dr Jill Biden for visiting Kenya and taking an interest in how we empower each other through initiatives like table banking, which increases socioeconomic inclusion. We believe that this highly successful tour is the first of many visits and look forward to meeting you again.
"Allow us to send through you our warm greetings and best wishes to President Joe Biden and your family and the people of the United States of America," Ruto stated.
Prior to the meeting, Dr Biden visited drought-affected communities in Kenya and appealed for wealthy nations to give more as the Horn of Africa suffers its driest conditions in decades.
Speaking after having a close-up experience with victims of the ongoing hunger in Kajiado County, she called for a greater spotlight on the record-breaking drought which threatens 22 million people in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia with starvation.
The United States has funded the lion's share of the aid budget for the disaster which has killed millions of livestock and destroyed crops. Dr Biden thus noted that the intensity of the drought facing Kenya was similar to the threats posed by the war in Ukraine, hence necessitating the attention given to major humanitarian crises.
"We cannot be the only ones. We have to have other countries join us in this global effort to help these people of the region.
"Unfortunately, you know there is the war in Ukraine. There is the earthquake in Turkey. I mean there are a lot of competing interests but obviously here...people are starving," she said.
Biden heard from parents struggling to feed their children and communities unable to source enough water after five consecutive failed rainy seasons. The drought was a key focus of Biden's visit to Kenya, with another engagement looking at food security and farming in a changing climate.
The 71-year-old community college professor had also met with women and youth leaders toured an informal settlement and laid a wreath for those killed in the 1998 US embassy bombing in Nairobi.
As part of her itinerary, Dr Biden made a personal visit to the Women for Peace Group in Kibera to experience the table banking model, championed by Mama Rachel Ruto through the Mama Doing Good Organization.
Other government officials present during her departure were Prime Cabinet Secretary Hon. Musalia Mudavadi, America Ambassador to Kenya Margaret Whitman, and Dr Biden’s escort of honour, Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano - East African Community (EAC), Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), and Regional Development.
President William Ruto watches on as US First Lady Jill Biden shares a moment with First Lady Rachel Ruto at JKIA on February 26, 2023. /WILLIAM RUTO
US First Lady Jill Biden bids goodbye as she prepares to leave Kenya on February 26, 2023. /WILLIAM RUTO
