MAUREEN WARUINGE ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST

19 September 2022

• Mr Ruto joined other world leaders for a reception at Buckingham Palace.

• The leaders were ferried in a bus eliciting sharp reactions from Netizens.

The world is reacting angrily to a picture of African leaders traveling in a bus to Buckingham palace.

The African Heads of State were part of the delegation invited to a reception at the Palace ahead of Queen Elizabeth II's burial.

King Charles II was the host.

Only US President Joe Biden, and the Saudi and, French Presidents were allowed to go to the reception in their personal cars.

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko is also not happy about the way President William Ruto is being treated in the UK.

Sonko took to his social media to protest the treatment being subjected to African leaders;

"Hawa wazungu hawana adabu wanawekaje marais wa Africa ndani ya bus moja huko London. God forbid kitu mbaya ifanyike kwa hiyo bus itakuaje?"

Meanwhile, President Ruto has shared photos with Kenyans living in the UK following his arrival.

He was officially welcomed by Kenya's High Commissioner to the UK Manoah Esipisu.

"Arrived in London, United Kingdom to attend the burial of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," Ruto said in a tweet on Monday.

Reactions to Sonko's outburst include:

@urgirlwanjiru·I don't see anything wrong. Lakini Mr. President Ruto ni hustler that's why he is happy

@jeff_omulubi·Alafu ona vle raisi wko ametoa meno nje this is an insult to Africa I saw how Biden arrived very different

@bujiku_jr·England knows that all of those guys are not implementing anything to do with constitution in their country, wanawapea hela then wanazikula Tu, watu wao ni maskini but wao ni more than wealthiest, wacha wakae kwa bus infact walifaa wabebwe na bodaboda.

@_KijanaYaKiambu·Differentiate between super power and power hungry. They will never go hand in hand

@Henry_Maina·The only leader that was allowed to use his ceremonial cars was the US President, all the other invited leaders, guests were taken to Westminster Abbey in the hired buses, no special treatment; they were all informed of the arrangements & should travelling as such even back home.

President Ruto Leaves the Country

The Head of State left on Sunday, marking his first official trip out of the Country after being sworn in as the 5th President on Tuesday last week.

After the burial, Ruto will leave United Kingdom for the United States of America, where he will join others world leaders for the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Ruto is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with UN Secretary General António Guterres, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, President of the 77th session of the General Assembly Csaba Kőrösi, and Slovakian President Zuzana Čaputová.