Following Donald Trump’s election as the 47th President, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi assured that Kenya’s economic ties with the U.S. will remain stable.
In response to questions about how the election outcome might affect Kenya-U.S. relations, Mbadi confirmed that there would be no significant changes in Kenya’s economic and policy connections with the U.S.
Mbadi also addressed concerns about whether Trump’s presidency would influence ongoing discussions between Kenya and the U.S., particularly regarding debt support raised during President William Ruto’s State Visit to the U.S. in May.
The Treasury Minister emphasized that U.S. foreign policy, especially towards Africa, is consistent regardless of the political party in power.
“American policy generally doesn’t change much whether the White House is held by a Republican or a Democrat,” Mbadi said. “The policy on Africa and economic engagement remains stable, so I don’t expect any major shifts.”
Mbadi congratulated the American people on the election result, adding, “Whether that was my wish or not is immaterial. It was the decision of the American people.”
He also noted that Kenya’s primary engagement with the U.S. occurs through multilateral channels, such as the World Bank, where U.S. contributions indirectly benefit Kenya and other African countries. This reliance on multilateral support means that changes in U.S. leadership will have a limited impact on Kenya’s economic aid and support.
“Our current engagement is more at the multilateral level. The U.S. supports the World Bank, from which we receive assistance,” Mbadi explained. “Even bilateral engagements would not be affected by the election results.”
