President Ruto meets US President Biden in New York

Friday, September 23 – President William Ruto on Thursday, September 22, 2022 was invited by President Biden to a reception during the ongoing 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) ongoing in New York. President Ruto was accompanied by First Lady Rachel Ruto. The two Heads of States intended to build up ties between Kenya and the US to ensure they enjoy economic prosperity and strengthen peace. President William Ruto is winding up his New York trip and is expected to land back in the country soon.

“I am sick and tired of trickle-down economics. It has never worked. We’re building an economy from the bottom up and middle out,” President Biden said.

The two leaders share a common economic belief of bottom-up. The “bottom-up” model approach was one of the crucial campaign agendas that propelled President Ruto to the Presidency. President Ruto rallied the “bottom-up” gospel to world leaders who were present during his inaugural address to the assembly on Wednesday.

“I suggest that we have a golden opportunity to faithfully adhere to this motto by augmenting it, in word and indeed, with an additional “B”: Building Back Better, from the Bottom,” President Ruto said.

This was the first time President Ruto had met his counterpart President Joe Biden. Earlier in the day, President Ruto had met the United States Secretary of state Antony Bliken. Bliken promised to work with President William Ruto in tackling food insecurity.

Government statistics and data from UN agencies reveal that 3.5 million Kenyans are in dire need of food. One of the main President Ruto’s agenda at the UN meeting was to hold discussions with world leaders on fertilizer production and green energy aimed at enhancing Kenya’s agricultural production. On Thursday, 23 September, Deputy president Rigathi Gachagua flagged off 2,600 bags of subsidized DAP fertilizer.

While meeting Biden, President Ruto called on the need for Kenya to continue expanding its strategic partnership with the US to advance peace and prosperity in Africa. President Biden went ahead on Twitter and promised that his administration will pick up on the “bottom-up” model. The “bottom-up model” essentially includes the majority working class in Kenya’s economic mainstream.