President William Ruto has broken his silence after he faced a backlash online for suggesting that the Nigerian-accented English is difficult to comprehend and requires a translator.
Speaking on Tuesday, April 28, during the Mining Investment Conference and Expo in Nairobi, President Ruto said his remarks were taken out of context and misrepresented.
The Head of State explained that his comments were meant to highlight the proficiency of English across different African countries and not to disparage any nation.
“I was recorded when I was speaking to fellow citizens somewhere. It was supposed to be a private conversation, but someone decided that it should be public. But they also misrepresented the facts.
“The facts are that I was talking about how we in Africa speak very good English. In fact, in some countries like Nigeria, if you don’t speak excellent English like the one we speak in Kenya, you may need a translator for you to understand the excellent English in Nigeria, so that was the comparison, but someone decided to take it out of context,” Ruto explained.
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Further, President Ruto expressed hope that the incident would not strain relations between Nigeria and Kenya.
“My in-laws, I hope there will be no consequences for whatever was done,” the Head of State added.
Speaking on Monday, April 23, while addressing Kenyans living in Italy, President Ruto praised Kenya’s education system, highlighting the country’s strong proficiency in the English language.
The President went on to make a comparison with Nigerian English and sensationally said it is difficult to understand and may require a translator.
“Our education is good. Our English is good. We speak some of the best English in the world. If you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don't know what they are saying. You need a translator even when they are speaking English," said Ruto.
His remarks sparked widespread outrage online, with users from both Nigeria and Kenya criticizing the President and accusing him of demeaning a fellow African nation.
