Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has cautioned President William Ruto not to speak negatively about the United States government during his four-day official visit to China.
Speaking during a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Kioni expressed concern that Ruto’s recent criticism of former US President Donald Trump’s administration could result in serious diplomatic consequences for Kenya.
Kioni also advised the President to avoid attacking global financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), pointing out that such statements send conflicting signals, especially since a Kenyan delegation led by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi was currently in the US engaging in talks with IMF officials.
“He must ensure that Kenya’s foreign policy remains consistent,” Kioni stated. “It doesn’t make sense to go to China and start criticising America while at the same time, CS John Mbadi is in the US holding meetings with the IMF. This sends mixed messages and creates confusion on our stance as a country.”
Kioni went further to criticise Ruto for making remarks that could damage Kenya’s global image. He said the President’s comments targeting the US and the IMF could portray the country as unprofessional and unpredictable on the international stage.
These remarks follow Ruto’s controversial speech at Peking University in Beijing the previous day, where he accused the Trump administration of being biased in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
According to Ruto, the US had taken sides in the war, going against the neutrality expected by the United Nations Security Council.
While addressing the audience at the university, President Ruto also openly criticised the structure of the IMF and the World Bank.
He argued that these institutions are dominated by wealthy nations, making it difficult for African countries and other developing nations to have a fair say in global financial decisions.
President Ruto said that while the IMF and World Bank have been helpful in financing development across poorer nations, their governance structures still reflect the interests of rich countries that originally set them up.
“There is a strong need for deep reforms in these financial institutions. The most important reform would be in how they are governed,” Ruto said.
“These institutions must become truly independent and global. Their operations should not be influenced by the political interests of the powerful countries that control them.”
He added, “The World Bank and IMF have evolved into major development financiers. However, their control and decision-making power still lies with the same wealthy countries they were initially created to serve.
Today, their shareholders, stakeholders, and those who benefit from their funding all have conflicting interests, and this imbalance must be addressed.”
Kioni’s warning comes at a time when President Ruto’s foreign policy choices are under close international scrutiny.
Many observers now question whether his tough remarks, made while engaging with China, could harm Kenya’s ties with other global partners like the US and major financial institutions.
Join Our Political Forum official 2025 WhatsApp Channel To Stay Updated On time https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
