Ruto To Fly To Japan After Hosting Poland President

President William Ruto has announced that he will fly to Japan in the coming days to secure funding worth Ksh160 billion for an unspecified project.

Speaking on Sunday, February 4 during an interdenominational church service at the Approved School Grounds in Kakamega County, the Head of State revealed that he will travel to the Asian nation in the coming days after hosting Polish president Andrzej Duda at State House, Nairobi today.

According to Ruto, the talks will revolve around a Ksh8 billion dairy project which is expected to bolster local farmers.

"We are heading to Japan because we have a program valued at $1 billion (Ksh160 billion) and Japan is helping us and we must plan properly," he stated.

"Today, we have a Polish President coming to Kenya and we have a programme of Ksh8 billion centering around dairy which we will complete between today and tomorrow."

Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on his part confirmed the trip, adding that he would fly ahead of the President to finalize plans for a smooth welcome for the Head of State to Japan.

"He (Ruto) has restored Kenya's respect across first-world countries such as China and the United States," Mudavadi revealed.

"This evening, he has sent me to precede him because he has a trip to Japan. I will leave this evening and he will join me later."

This trip comes barely two weeks after his return from Italy where he attended the Italy-Africa Summit where he joined 20 African Heads of State.

Before he departed for Italy, Ruto announced that the trip aimed to secure funding for water projects that have stalled across the country, on the sidelines of the summit.

President Ruto noted that he would be seeking investors to revive stalled projects such as the Arror and Kimwarer dams in Elgeyo Marakwet and the Itare Dam in Nakuru County. 

On May 3, 2023, President Ruto held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio at State House in Nairobi, where he expressed Kenya's keenness on strengthening and enriching its relations with Japan.

"Kenya celebrates 60 years of strong and rich diplomatic relations, marked by successful partnership and a deep mutual understanding with Japan. We are determined to strengthen and deepen our ties and broaden the scope of our friendship for the benefit of our citizens.

"Held bilateral talks with Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio at State House, Nairobi; exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, including those that Kenya desires Japan to take up in its capacity as the 2023 Chair of G-7 and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council," Ruto noted in a statement on his social media pages.

President William Ruto with Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at State House, Nairobi on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. /WILLIAM RUTO