Kenya’s deepening relationship with China under President William Ruto has sparked fierce criticism in the United States, with top-ranking U.S. Senator Jim Risch warning that Nairobi’s new direction may have serious diplomatic consequences.
Risch, the powerful chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, openly questioned Kenya’s loyalty to the West during a Senate hearing on East Africa and the Horn of Africa. His sharp remarks follow President Ruto’s recent high-profile visit to Beijing, where Kenya signed sweeping trade and investment deals with China in areas including agriculture, technology, and green energy.
“Just last month, President Ruto declared that Kenya, a major non-NATO ally, and China are co-architects of a new world order,” Risch said. “That’s not just alignment with China — it’s allegiance.”
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The Idaho Senator expressed concern that such statements mark more than economic cooperation, hinting at a global realignment with potential ripple effects for U.S.-Kenya relations.
“I submit for the record the text of that speech,” he added. “Relying on leaders who embrace Beijing so openly is an error. It’s time to reassess our relationship with Kenya and others who forge tight bonds with China.”
Ruto’s China visit in April saw Beijing pledge rapid implementation of key projects, strengthening what he described as a “mutually respectful” and “forward-looking” partnership. But Risch warned that such ties could undermine long-term U.S. interests in the region, urging Washington to pivot its Africa policy away from personal ties with leaders and toward institutional partnerships.
“We must stop building U.S. policy in Africa around individual leaders and instead focus on strengthening institutions, expanding private sector ties, and empowering the region’s young and dynamic populations,” Risch said.
He emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in U.S.-Africa engagements, stressing that the cost to American taxpayers must be justified.
“In many cases, these governments are not wholly legitimate, which raises the question of whether engagement is worth the cost,” he said bluntly.
The Senator’s remarks come at a time of growing global competition for influence in Africa, with China increasing its footprint through infrastructure projects, loans, and strategic partnerships. Kenya, long considered a key U.S. ally in the region, now finds itself in the geopolitical crossfire.
As Kenya balances its growing Eastward alliances with traditional Western partners, questions linger over what this means for future cooperation, foreign aid, and Kenya’s position on the global stage. For now, Washington is watching — and reassessing
