Speaking on Tuesday, April 28, during the Mining Investment Conference and Expo in Nairobi, the Kenyan Head of State said his comments were misrepresented and were never intended to demean any country.
“I was recorded when I was speaking to fellow citizens somewhere. It was supposed to be a private conversation, but someone decided that it should be public. But they also misrepresented the facts,” he said.
Ruto explained that his remarks were meant to highlight the proficiency of English across African countries, rather than compare or disparage nations.
“The facts are that I was talking about how we in Africa speak very good English. In fact, in some countries like Nigeria, if you don’t speak excellent English like the one we speak in Kenya, you may need a translator for you to understand the excellent English in Nigeria, so that was the comparison, but someone decided to take it out of context,” he said.
The President further expressed hope that the controversy would not affect relations between Kenya and Nigeria.
“My in-laws, I hope there will be no consequences for whatever was done,” he added, in reference to his family ties with Nigeria. Ruto’s daughter, June Ruto, is married to Nigerian national Alexander Ezenagu.
His clarification came moments after Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Henry Dele Alake, addressed the matter in a light-hearted intervention during the same conference, saying Nigerians had “mandated” him to affirm their command of English.
“The people of Nigeria have mandated me to inform you and assure you that Nigerians speak good English,” Alake said, drawing laughter from delegates.
President Ruto had earlier sparked controversy on Monday, April 23, while addressing Kenyans living in Italy, when he praised Kenya’s education system and English proficiency, contrasting it with Nigeria’s accent.
“Our education is good. Our English is good. We speak some of the best English in the world. If you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don’t know what they are saying. You need a translator even when they are speaking English,” he said.
Both Kenya and Nigeria use English as an official language, though each country has developed distinct accents shaped by local languages and cultural influences. Online exchanges between citizens of the two countries are often marked by humour, rivalry, and national pride.
