William Ruto with Joe Biden at the White House
Kenya president William Ruto is under fire on social media over one of the photos he shared on Facebook of his visit to the White House.
Ruto, his wife Rachel and a delegation of about 30 others are in Washington DC as part of an official state visit.
He shared photos of his extensive engagement at the White House (May 23), with formal and informal meetings with host Joe Biden and American First Lady Jill.
In photos of what was a tour of the White House, Ruto shared an image where he was seated on Biden's brown leather chair behind a desk in the American president's office.
Ruto spots a grin as does Biden who is standing behind the chair.
The particular photo has led to veiled and direct attacks on Ruto's person by Kenyans and people across Africa.
@SonOfKisumu posted on X: "Say what you want about Raila but President Joe Biden will not have treated him the way he treated Ruto like a child excited to be in his boss's office & chair. Ruto has always been shameless. He has no political standards."
Aaron Barmer (@_AaronBarmer) cued in: "Excuse me, but the US is more or less patting Kenya on the head with these pledged sums, no?
"This is the country the US wants to do most of the dirty work in Haiti; it doesn’t seem like Biden is offering that much in return. I mean, it’s nice Ruto got to sit in Biden’s chair."
Brendan (@BrendanMcInnis) wrote: "Kenya's President William Ruto photo op with Joe Biden. Have American Presidents done with other heads of state in their chair? I have seen kids, maybe a celebrity (?), but not this."
See some X reactions below:
Ruto is pathetic. Grinning like a 10 year old boy while sitting in Biden's chair in the Oval Office. https://t.co/Agk3jYP4BE
— Ambitious Llama🐀 (@MusingsofAwe) May 23, 2024
The Kenyan President and by extention the Kenyan people got infantalized at white hse.
Ruto looks and acts like a school kid at a museum.
Biden: "you want to sit on my chair?Ruto:" yes plis daddy"#raisedbycattle#Freedom pic.twitter.com/JXNqUhWWSm
— The Pastoralist (@OleMepukori) May 24, 2024
Short story pic.twitter.com/aXS7SD6I1s
— African (@ali_naka) May 24, 2024
Kenyans are excited about President @WilliamsRuto requesting @POTUS to see on the Oval Office chair.
— River-Lake Nilote™️🇰🇪 (@albertodhiambo) May 24, 2024
Ruto is extremely excited. Smiled for the camera, with Biden standing right behind him.
I am excited 🚮
See photos Ruto's official account shared on Facebook:
SARA
