Kenya President, Ruto Clarifies Remarks On Nigerians’ English Proficiency

Kenyan President, William Ruto, has defended his recent comments on English proficiency across Africa, saying they were misinterpreted and taken out of context after sparking widespread reactions online.

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Speaking at a mining conference in Nairobi on Tuesday, Ruto explained that the remarks originated from what he described as a private conversation that was later made public.

Ruto said, “Please pass my regards to President Bola Tinubu, my friend, and to the great people of Nigeria, who are my in-laws, and do so in good English.

“I was captured, it was supposed to be a private conversation, but somebody decided that it should be public. But they also misrepresented the facts.”

Ruto insisted that his comments were not intended to insult Nigerians but rather to highlight English proficiency across African countries.

“The facts are that I was talking about how we in Africa speak very good English, all of us,” he said.

He added humorously, “In some countries like Nigeria, if you don’t speak excellent English… you may need a translator… to understand the excellent English of Nigeria.”

The clarification followed a viral video in which Ruto appeared to contrast Kenya’s education system with Nigeria’s, suggesting differences in spoken English.

In the clip, he was quoted as saying, “Our education is good. Our English is good, If you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don’t know what they are saying.”

The controversy also came amid comparisons to recent statements by Tinubu during a visit to Bayelsa State, in which he referenced living conditions in other African countries, including Kenya.

Though Ruto did not directly reference the Nigerian leader in the earlier video, online reactions framed the comments as part of a broader exchange.

Ruto sought to downplay tensions, expressing hope that no diplomatic issues would arise.

“My in-laws, I hope there will be no consequences for whatever was done,” he said.