Diplomatic Fallout: U.S. Condemns Ruto’s Dealings with Sudan’s Warlords.
Kenyan President William Ruto is once again at the center of controversy, both at home and abroad. Just days after hosting Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Kenya, where they signed a so-called transitional constitution, Washington has strongly condemned the move.
The U.S. Bureau of African Affairs expressed deep concern over reports that RSF and allied actors had formalized a transitional constitution for Sudan. The bureau warned that any attempts to establish a parallel government in Sudan would be detrimental to peace and security, potentially fueling instability and the country’s de facto partition. This stern rebuke signaled Washington’s frustration with Kenya’s engagement with RSF, a group notorious for human rights violations, including massacres, sexual violence, and forced displacements, particularly in Darfur.
Despite these grave allegations, President Ruto extended a warm reception to the RSF leaders in Nairobi. His actions have raised serious questions about Kenya’s diplomatic positioning, particularly with Western allies who view RSF as a destabilizing force in Sudan.
Credibility Crisis Deepens: Mandera’s Outrage Over Power Blackout
While Ruto grapples with diplomatic troubles, his domestic approval continues to plummet, particularly in Mandera County, where residents are facing prolonged power outages. The frustration has boiled over into street protests, with demonstrators burning tires and tearing down billboards bearing Ruto’s image.
Residents, particularly in Mandera Town, have endured weeks without electricity, a crisis that has worsened during the holy month of Ramadan. Locals have resorted to crossing into neighboring Somalia’s Bula Hawa to charge their phones and buy cold drinks, a situation they describe as humiliating. Lawmakers from the region have condemned Kenya Power’s failure, emphasizing that the outage has paralyzed healthcare facilities, collapsed businesses, and put vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly, at risk due to extreme heat.
Read Also: The Raila-Ruto Power Deal: Raila’s Big Win or Kenya’s Biggest Betrayal?
During a heated parliamentary session, members of Parliament from Mandera demanded immediate action from Kenya Power, warning that continued neglect could escalate tensions further. They criticized the government’s inefficiency, pointing out that even Somalia, often labeled a failed state, has managed to maintain reliable electricity in Bula Hawa while Mandera Town remains in darkness.
Mounting Pressure on Ruto’s Leadership
Ruto’s administration, which rode to power on the promise of representing the ‘hustler nation,’ is now facing mounting pressure on multiple fronts. His foreign policy moves are drawing international criticism, while domestic crises continue to alienate the very citizens he pledged to uplift. As he struggles to maintain a delicate balance, both locally and globally, his leadership is being tested like never before. The question remains: can he weather the storm, or is his grip on power beginning to slip?
Diplomatic Fallout: U.S. Condemns Ruto’s Dealings with Sudan’s Warlords.
