As a kid, my friends and I used to spend our evenings hunting grasshoppers in the field near our homes. We would catch them, pluck off their legs, and keep them in containers with grass. But they would always manage to escape, and we’d have to start all over again.
This childhood memory came to mind when I thought about President William Ruto’s current situation. If I were to compare him to an insect, he would be a praying mantis, always jumping from one country to another, hands held together in a begging position.
During his 20 months as president, Ruto has traveled to 38 different countries a total of 64 times. His list of international trips is so long that he has a dedicated Wikipedia page for them. Some of these trips seem unnecessary, raising questions about why he appointed ambassadors if he was going to do their work.
The cost of Ruto’s foreign trips has been staggering, totaling KSh681 million in the first nine months of his presidency. When asked about the purpose of these trips, Ruto claimed to have secured hundreds of thousands of jobs for Kenyans abroad. However, these claims have not been substantiated, and many doubt their validity.
Ruto’s recent trip to the US, where he spent KSh200 million on a private jet to visit American celebrities, raised eyebrows and criticism. His extravagant trips have exposed his double standards and lack of commitment to Pan-Africanism.
In the midst of protests and unrest in Kenya, Ruto has remained grounded at home, surrounded by security guards. He has missed out on several international events and engagements, opting to communicate through social media and phone calls instead.
Despite his efforts to evade scrutiny and criticism, Ruto finds himself trapped like a grasshopper, closely monitored by the citizens of Kenya. Until he addresses the concerns and demands of the people, he remains confined in his own political container, unable to escape.