The tension escalated following a state visit to Beijing in April, when President William Ruto secured landmark infrastructure and trade deals and publicly praised China’s role in what he called a “new world order”. This provoked a backlash from the United States, which has launched a review of the ally status.
The status, granted in 2024, gives Kenya preferential access to a range of military and economic benefits, including US defence contracts and joint training opportunities. It was part of Washington’s strategy to counter Chinese and Russian influence in the region.
US Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, this week proposed an amendment to the National Defence Authorisation Act for Fiscal Year 2026 to reassess the status.
The review, to be conducted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio within 90 days, demands a detailed breakdown of Kenya’s military, political and financial engagements with China, including its participation in the Belt and Road Initiative and its long-term financial dependence on China.
