Ruto's bold G7 appeal rings hollow without concrete action at home

President William Ruto arrives in Evian, France for the G7 Summit. [PCS]

Depending on which side of the political divide one sits, President William Ruto’s participation in the 2026 G7 Summit, courtesy of France’s invite, has drawn mixed reactions. Some on the government side attempted to create the impression that this was the first time a Kenyan president had been invited to this exclusive club of wealthy nations.

However, a simple search confirms that former President Uhuru Kenyatta attended the event three times during his tenure. He was first invited in 2017 by Italy, then in 2018 by Canada and in 2019 by France. This year, France extended invitations to Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya and South Korea.