Deputy President William Ruto and Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi left the country early yesterday for a 10-day trip to the US and the UK.

During the tour, the DP and Mudavadi will meet officials of the States department and the Pentagon in the US.

A statement released by Ababu Namwamba, who is the Head of International Relations at Ruto’s presidential campaign secretariat, indicated that the DP would meet the US government’s National Security Council (NSC) advisor.

“He will also speak at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies and make an address at the University of Arizona’s Washington Entrepreneurship Hub,” read the statement.

The final leg of the US tour will conclude with a meeting with Kenya’s diaspora.

In London, Ruto will meet senior UK Government officials, visit the National Counter Terrorism Centre and speak at both the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Royal Institute of International Affairs, popularly known as, Chatham House.

“The DP will also engage Kenya’s diaspora in the UK, and pay a courtesy call on the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Justin Welby,” stated Namwamba.

According to Namwamba, the DP’s trip seeks to strengthen ties with the country’s traditional friends and partners.

The Carnegie Africa programme has since confirmed that Ruto will on March 2 have a conversation with the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights, representative Karen Bass. This has been organized by the Carnegie Africa Conversation on Politics and Policy.

“The conversation will be moderated by CEIP Africa Programme Director Zee Usman and Georgetown University’s Ken Opalo,” stated the message.

In the delegation were the DP’s wife Rachael, Turkana Governor Josephat Nanok, his Kwale counterpart Salim Mvurya, Kirinyaga’s Anne Waiguru, Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika, her Elgeyo Marakwet counterpart Kipchumba Murkomen and MPs Adan Duale, Rigathi Gachagua and Ndindi Nyoro.

Others included Kimani Ichung’wah, Alice Wahome, Owen Baya, Beatrice Adagala, Soipan Tuya, economist David Ndii, former Foreign Affairs CAS Namwamba and the DP’s presidential campaign spokesman Hussein Mohamed. 

The organisation said: “We are honoured to host the Deputy President of Kenya, William Ruto, for a discussion on the future of governance and economic development in Kenya, East Africa and Africa.”

Karen Bass is the US representative for California’s 37^th congressional district and chairs the House Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights. The Carnegie Africa Programme engages policymakers to shape global discourse and policy in the region.