President William Ruto has expressed support for President Donald Trump’s new executive order proclaiming that the US government will recognize only two sexes, male and female.

Speaking on Sunday, January 26, 2025, after a church service at the Global Cathedral, Nairobi, the head of state announced that Kenya had welcomed the decision to end diversity, equity and inclusion programmes that had allowed the support of other genders.

President Ruto argued that Trump’s latest policy direction aligns with what Kenya believes in. Without mincing his words, Ruto said in front of the congregants that men must remain men as well as women.

Justifying his stance, Ruto affirmed that recognition of only two genders conforms with the bible and what the Kenyan tradition was founded upon.

“We are very proud, contrary to what has been happening in the past, this year we got some very welcomed developments from the United States as a leading democracy, their policy direction supports what we believe in that boys must remain boys, men must remain men and women must remain women and girls must remain girls,” Ruto stated.

“We thank God that this year, the very first news from the United States in the new administration is to confirm what the bible says, what our faith believes in and what our tradition is firmly grounded on,” he added.

Trumps orders

Immediately after his inauguration, Donald Trump rolled back orders from his predecessor, Joe Biden, that had given leeway to other genders.

Two of the orders he revoked included a Biden directive aimed at preventing discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. Trump also signed an order recognising two sexes only – male and female and declaring that they cannot be changed.

“As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female,” Trump announced in his inaugural speech.

Trump espoused a traditional view of gender throughout the 2024 campaign, and he and his allies attacked Democrats for supporting transgender rights.

Soon after his inauguration, he honoured his promise to end the recognition of other genders besides male and female.