East or West? Ruto gives a firm stance on Kenya’s foreign policy
By Emmanuel Rono, April 22, 2026President William Ruto has reaffirmed Kenya’s need to forge strategic international partnerships to unlock economic opportunities while driving shared global progress.
Speaking during a public lecture at the LUISS School of Government in Rome on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, Ruto said Kenya is pursuing forward-looking alliances anchored on collaborative growth, stability, and innovation.
“Kenya is building strong, forward-looking partnerships and alliances that expand opportunity and drive shared progress,” Ruto said.
Ruto stressed that the country’s future would not be shaped in isolation but through deliberate cooperation with like-minded partners worldwide.
We are not aligned specific bloc
He further stated that Kenya’s independent foreign policy stand is not aligned with either the Western or Eastern blocs.
“We recognise that our future will not be shaped in isolation, but through purposeful cooperation with those equally committed to growth, stability, and innovation. That is why we neither look to the West nor the East, we look forward,” Ruto said.
His sentiments came after Kenya faced a diplomatic dilemma on whether to fully side with China or the US. The situation was exacerbated by Ruto’s sentiments while in Beijing, where he hinted at collaborating with China to build a new world order. The US was, however, not impressed with Ruto’s sentiments, sparking a whole diplomatic debate on Kenya’s foreign policy.
The president said his administration remains focused on responsive governance, noting that it is listening to citizens and acting decisively by addressing any emerging challenges.
He added that the government is building resilience to withstand economic and social shocks and ensure continuity in service delivery during periods of disruption.
“At home, we listen to our people and act with clarity and speed. We are building resilience to absorb shocks and continue delivering on our mandate, even in the face of disruption,” Ruto said.
Need for patriotism
Ruto has also called on Kenyans to adopt a more positive outlook about the country, urging citizens both at home and abroad to embrace patriotism and take pride in Kenya’s progress.
He stressed that investment in science, innovation, and technology remains central to Kenya’s development agenda, alongside strengthened security and improved governance systems aimed at tackling corruption and enhancing accountability.
“We need security. We need to invest in securing our country. And number three, we need to work on our governance to make sure that we deal with corruption, we deal with patriotism, and we begin to believe in ourselves,” Ruto said.
He said lasting transformation will require Kenyans to build confidence in the country’s potential and change how they think about national progress.
“We need to begin to believe in our country,” Ruto noted.