Kenya’s President William Ruto has publicly apologized to the citizens of Uganda and Tanzania, as well as Kenya’s own youth, during the Annual National Prayer Breakfast held on Wednesday in Nairobi.
In a moment charged with emotion and calls for unity, Ruto said;
“If we have wronged you in any way, forgive us,” addressing the region and reflecting on recent diplomatic tensions.
His statement was inspired in part by a sermon from American preacher and motivational speaker Rickey Allen Bolden, who urged the government to seek reconciliation, especially with Kenya’s youth — the Gen Z generation — whose calls for better governance have grown louder in recent months.
Ruto’s remarks come amid a diplomatic rift between Kenya and Tanzania, triggered by the detention and deportation of East African activists in Tanzania. The activists, including Kenya’s Boniface Mwangi and Uganda’s Agather Atuhaire, had traveled to attend the court case of opposition figure Tundu Lissu but were reportedly detained incommunicado, tortured, and dumped at the border — a move that drew harsh criticism from regional and international human rights groups.
The fallout sparked an online firestorm, with Kenyan netizens criticizing Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, prompting accusations of cyberbullying from Tanzanian lawmakers. On Monday, Tanzanian MPs lashed out, accusing Kenyans of disrespect and meddling in Tanzania’s internal affairs. In retaliation, angry Kenyans flooded lawmakers’ phones with messages, even sharing contact details online.
One of the MPs, Jesca Msambatavangu of Iringa Town, acknowledged the deluge of messages via WhatsApp and said she had to temporarily switch off her phone. However, she struck a conciliatory tone, encouraging constructive dialogue and even proposing to host a live WhatsApp session with Kenyan youth this Saturday.
Back home, Ruto also used the national platform to apologize to Gen Z Kenyans, who have been increasingly vocal and critical of his administration, especially in the wake of deadly anti-tax protests in June last year.
Watch the Apology Below:
