President William Ruto is poised to make history in the US after the House Foreign Affairs Committee sent a formal request to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to invite Kenya's President to address a joint session of Congress on his official visit to the United States.
If Ruto is granted the order to address the joint Congress session, he will be the first Kenyan to be honoured with such a rare privilege.
Ruto would also be the second President from Africa to address the joint session of the Congress after former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) and Chairman Michael McCaul argued that the invitation would underscore the importance of Kenya- US relations.
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"We are writing to respectfully request that you extend a formal invitation to the President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency William Samoei Ruto, to address a joint session of Congress on his official visit to the United States,” wrote the members.
“If invited, President Ruto would be the first Kenyan head of state to address a joint session of Congress, and the first African head of state to address Congress since former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf eighteen years ago," they added.
Meeks and McCaul pointed out that the United States is among Kenya’s largest trading partners and Kenya is one of Africa’s most dynamic economies, boasting a top utilization rate of U.S. market access under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Besides the trade cooperation between the two countries, the members noted that Kenya had positioned itself as a technological hub in Africa, especially through mobile money and information and communication technology.
They praised Kenya's workforce for driving the much-needed change required in any African Country.
"Kenya has the largest, most diversified economy and a young and growing population. It also has a young, ambitious, and well-educated workforce eager to contribute to the development of the country. These factors have helped the country become a leader in mobile money and information and communication technology," the members stated.
They also noted that Ruto's joint Congress session address would shed light on the security situation in the country even as American investors pick Kenya as their investment hub.
"It is crucial for members of Congress to understand how Kenya’s active participation in Africa’s future and beyond is vital for peace and stability in the region and aligns with the broader economic and strategic interests of the United States," they stated.
"We therefore respectfully request that, at your earliest convenience, you invite President William Samoei Ruto to address a joint session of Congress when he is in the United States on or about May 23, 2024."
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