President William Ruto has dismissed reports that Kenya is part of a deal with the United States government to host illegal immigrants deported from America.
Speaking during an interview on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Ruto clarified that Kenya has not received any formal communication from Washington on the matter.
The Head of State was responding to a question by a France 24 journalist, who noted that several African countries — Ghana, Rwanda, South Sudan, and most recently Uganda — had already entered agreements with the US to take in deported migrants.
“We have no such requests,” Ruto stated, emphasizing that no approach had been made to his administration regarding the deportation of foreign nationals.
Any Request Must Follow Kenyan Law
Ruto stressed that even if such a request were made in the future, it would only be considered if it complied with the Kenyan Constitution.
“If we were to get a request from the US government, that has to be in line with the Kenyan law,” he explained, adding that hosting deported migrants would not be an automatic decision.
He further noted that there must be a clear legal justification for why Kenya would host individuals expelled from another country.
Uganda’s Deal Sparks Debate
Ruto’s remarks came shortly after Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni approved a deal with the US to host deported migrants.
Uganda, which already hosts the largest refugee population in Africa, set several conditions for the agreement. These included a refusal to accept individuals with criminal records and unaccompanied minors.
“Uganda also prefers that individuals from African countries shall be the ones transferred to Uganda,” the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Museveni’s move has drawn mixed reactions across the continent, with some praising Uganda’s humanitarian stance while others raised concerns about the country’s economic capacity to host more migrants.
By distancing Kenya from the deal, President Ruto made it clear that his administration will continue to prioritize national interests and constitutional safeguards in handling international agreements.
