What Biden-Ruto meeting means for Africa

However, they principally agreed that the meeting would bring various opportunities to East Africa including in the areas of investment, business, and trade.

Mr Ruto opened the first state visit to Washington by an African leader in more than 15 years as President Biden seeks to counter geopolitical headwinds across the continent.

Mr Biden welcomed his Kenyan counterpart at the White House on Wednesday and then joined him in meeting business leaders ahead of Thursday's formal portion of the visit, which will start with an honour guard and culminate in a lavish dinner.

President Biden's national security advisor, Mr Jake Sullivan, said the visit highlights the "important role in global peace and security" played by Kenya, which has worked with the United States on hotspots including Somalia and, more recently, Haiti.

He said, “This is an opportunity for President Joe Biden to demonstrate commitment to Africa at a time when Washington appears to be playing catch-up in its engagement with the continent.”

But relations with other African allies are under strain as strategic rivals, including Russia and China, challenge traditional areas of Western influence.

Reports from Washington say Mr Biden was expected to designate Kenya as a major non-North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) ally.

The decision would make Kenya the first Sub-Saharan African country to receive the designation, reflecting Washington's drive to deepen relations with the nation, which has long also had close relations with Russia and China.

Lingering suspicions about his democratic credentials are not the reason that Congress decided against inviting him to address a joint session, says US Ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman. As far as she knows, it is a scheduling issue.

Ms Whitman, a former CEO of companies such as eBay and Hewlett Packard Enterprises, is a champion of Kenya and its investment potential as a tech hub, the so-called Silicon Savannah.

“If you want to lean into Africa, then who would be the right choice to come to a state dinner?” she asks.

“Kenya has been a long-standing 60-year ally of the United States. It is certainly the most stable democracy in East Africa. President Ruto has stepped up, and he’s a real leader.”

However, a political science and public administration lecturer at the University of Dodoma (Udom), Dr Paul Loisulie, said the meeting was a continuation of the 1884 scramble and partition of Africa.

“The problem is that Africa is very fragile due to a lack of control in areas of economics, politics, education, and security,” he said.

He blamed African leaders, scholars, and politicians for failure to give appropriate direction, noting that regional blocs including the EAC, the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) were not independent.

“Their meeting wasn’t in the interest of either the EAC, the AU, or Kenya; rather, it intends to serve the best interests of the superpower (US) as far as sustainable development is concerned,” he said.

An expert in economic diplomacy, Prof Wetengere Kitojo, said the US has chosen Kenya as its landing base to benefit from regional natural resources.

“The US will come with different opportunities in the areas of investment, trade, security, and marketing. It is up to African leaders for respective countries to benefit, “he said over the phone.

Substantiating, Prof Kitojo said the move was also a signal that the Biden administration has decided to counter China and Russia's efforts to gain popularity in Africa.

Prof Kitojo was echoed by a political science lecturer from the Open University of Tanzania (OUT), Dr Revocatus Kabobe, who said despite Kenya being an immediate beneficiary, much has to be done for East African countries to benefit, “Because the countries, and regional blocs, are not well organised.”

For his part, a political science lecturer from the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Dr Sabatho Nyamsenda, said Kenya has historically served as a pro-west regional hub.

He said the EAC member states chose to have no role in the struggle for the liberation of southern African countries and supported the West during the Cold War.

“At this time when the US power, influence, and moral authority decline globally, Kenya has been chosen as an agent of the Western country,” he said, agreeing that the new chapter to be opened by the two leaders could come with massive opportunities.