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A video clip of President William Ruto referring to Uganda and Tanzania as "least developed countries" (LDCs) during his recent trip to China has gone viral, igniting a heated debate across social media and diplomatic circles.
Critics have raised concerns over the diplomatic implications of the statement, while others say the remarks were taken out of context.
In the video, President Ruto attempted to explain the trade imbalance between Kenya and its East African neighbours.
He attributed the difference to Kenya’s classification as a middle-income country, unlike Uganda and Tanzania, which he described as LDCs.
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“Let me just explain to you why sometimes people find it easy to go to Uganda or Tanzania for purpose of getting goods and services to this country,” Ruto said.
The difference between us and our neighbours is that Kenya is in the middle-income category… Our neighbours, Tanzania, Uganda… are in the least developed countries category… So, we are categorised higher than them, and therefore, while they export duty-free, Kenya exports with a duty.
The remarks, while based on international trade rules, sparked backlash online, with many people seeing them as disrespectful to Kenya’s close neighbours.
READ ALSO: List of Chinese investment deals Kenya secured during Ruto’s Beijing visit
Ministry of Foreign Affairs rebuttal
In response to the backlash, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr. Korir Sing’Oei issued a statement contextualising the President’s remarks.
He explained that the president’s remarks were not meant to demean neighbouring countries but to explain structural challenges Kenya faces in global trade negotiations.
“President Ruto was addressing the market access constraints that Kenyan products to China face as a result of Kenya being a non-LDC country,” Dr. Sing’Oei said.
Our neighbours, to the contrary, do not face similar challenges as they are designated as LDCs. The LDC category was established by the UN General Assembly in 1971… It is partly the reason Kenya negotiated the EPA with the EU, as LDCs’ access to EU markets on preferential terms is unavailable to Kenya.
He added that Kenya is seeking similar preferential treatment in its proposed trade agreement with China to “restore our parity of market access.”
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While President Ruto’s remarks reflect a technical truth based on United Nations development classifications, analysts have noted the importance of carefully framing such statements to avoid diplomatic friction.
Uganda and Tanzania remain key trade and political allies in the East African Community (EAC), and strong relations are essential for regional integration and shared economic growth.
Uganda and Tanzania are Kenya’s biggest trading partners.