President Ruto’s one-sided remark on Iran-Israel clash met with strong criticism
William Ruto, newly-elected president of Kenya, addresses the nation after the announcement of the election winner at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Center in Bomas in Nairobi, Kenya, on Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. Ruto, 55, garnered 50.5% or 7.1 million of the valid votes and his main rival Odinga 48.9%, the Independent Electoral & Boundaries Commission said. Photographer: Michele Spatari/Bloomberg via Getty Images
In a statement on his X platform, President William Ruto of Kenya expressed opposition over Iran’s attack on the State of Israel, calling for condemnation from all “peace-loving nations” and urging Israel to exercise restraint from ‘this act of aggression’.
However, his stance has sparked intense reactions from various quarters especially from netizens.
Mussie Sheabia (@SheabiaForever) criticized Ruto, suggesting the comment reflected a Western bias and urging acknowledgment of Israel’s attacks on the Iranian embassy.
Mussie says “Your excellency, you don’t need to be a western bootlicker. As much as I admire your leadership, this post is disgraceful to all Africans. It would make sense if you had condemned Israel attacks on Iranian embassy a week ago.”
Similarly, Antoh (@AntonioWallahi) called for attention to domestic issues like healthcare rather than entanglement in international conflicts.
Others, such as Unathi Afrika (@UnathiAfrika) and Carson (@Monty_254), questioned Ruto’s historical stance on conflicts in the region, pointing out perceived inconsistencies.
Unathi writes “Always, always on the wrong side of history. Did you ever get deeply concerned about the Genocide in Gaza? The bombings of Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq? How about the Congo, the Sudan?”
Conversely, Muthoni Njakwe (@muthoni_njakwe) advocated for neutrality, citing Kenya’s economic ties with both Iran and Israel.
It should be noted that few African leaders have equally voiced their concerns over the Iran’s launch of retaliatory missiles against Israel but carefully maintaining neutrality and urging de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
