Washington, DC – United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that he may visit Kenya in the near future, just weeks after abruptly cancelling a previously scheduled trip to Nairobi.
The revelation came during a high-level meeting between Secretary Rubio and Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi in Washington on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
“While in Washington, DC, I held a high-level meeting with US Secretary of State Senator Rubio, where we discussed regional peace and security, expanded trade and investment, and deepened diplomatic engagement,” Mudavadi said in a statement.
“He expressed interest in visiting Kenya to further strengthen our strategic partnership.”
Rubio’s planned April 28 visit to Kenya would have marked his first official tour of Africa since President Donald Trump’s re-election in November 2024. However, the visit was unexpectedly cancelled, with no official explanation provided by either government.
Sources close to the matter suggest that Kenya’s growing ties with China, particularly President William Ruto’s visit to Beijing around the same time, may have contributed to the cancellation. Additionally, allegations of graft within the Kenya Kwanza administration and controversial associations with rebel factions in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan reportedly raised concerns in Washington.
Rubio was also scheduled to visit Ethiopia as part of the diplomatic tour, but the trip was called off at the last minute.
If rescheduled, Rubio’s visit is expected to carry significant diplomatic, economic, and security implications. On the diplomatic front, it would signal a renewed US commitment to Kenya and East Africa, potentially resetting elements of the US-Africa policy and bolstering American influence in the region.
Economically, the visit could revive the stalled Kenya-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and help unlock additional US-backed development initiatives, while promoting greater bilateral investment and cooperation.
Security-wise, Kenya plays a key role in regional counterterrorism and peacekeeping efforts, particularly in Somalia, South Sudan, and the DRC—areas where US support remains critical. Enhanced cooperation would also align with Washington’s interest in stabilizing East Africa and countering rising geopolitical influence from other global powers.
Beyond policy, Rubio’s visit would be symbolically important in Kenya’s evolving political landscape, where US support continues to shape governance and reform efforts.
This week’s meeting between Mudavadi and Rubio also marked the first high-level engagement between Kenya and the US since Trump’s second term began in January.
Mudavadi’s ongoing visit to Washington is at the invitation of the US government and underscores efforts by both sides to deepen bilateral ties amid shifting global dynamics.
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