By Peter Ochieng
President William Ruto is one of the tallest politicians in the country.
However, the Head of State quickly discovered that he is not endowed with height, when he met National Basketball Association (NBA) legend Shaquille O’Neal at the Martin Luther King Jr national historical park, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Videos shared online depicted Ruto and first Lady Rachael Ruto struggling to speak to the legendary basketballer, because of ‘height challenges.’ At some point, Ruto was seen straining to attract the attention of O’Neil.
Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA.
He is a 7-foot-1-inch (2.16 m) and 325-pound (147 kg) center who played for six teams over his 19-year career in the National Basketball Association, and is a four-time NBA champion.
He is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players and centers of all time. He retired in 2017.
President William Ruto jetted out of the country on Sunday evening for a five-day state visit to the United States, in what is the first State visit by a Kenyan President and the first by an African Head of State since 2008.
He commenced his tour on Monday in Atlanta, Georgia. Today, the President’s visits Spelman College, where he will discuss the critical role of higher education, particularly science and technology, in enhancing Kenya’s human capital development.
He will later head to Tyler Perry Studios where he will explore opportunities within the creative economy as a potential job creator.
The President will then visit Coca-Cola, where new investment partnerships will be announced before launching Vivo’s inaugural store in America.
President Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto will then travel to Washington DC on Wednesday, arriving at Andrews Air Force Base, where they will be officially received with full ceremonial state honours.
“The President will hold extensive engagements at the Capitol Hill, where he’ll meet a bipartisan congressional delegation under the chairmanship of the Speaker of the House, meet with the Black Congressional Caucus, and hold discussions with the bipartisan caucus of the Senate,” State House Spokeepersn Hussein Mohamed said.
Thursday will highlight Ruto’s visit to the US, with the First Couple kicking off the day by laying a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery to honour the American soldiers and other historic figures John F. Kennedy.
The Head of State will then hold bilateral meetings with his host, President Biden which will delve into Kenya-U.S. economic, health, and security partnership.
President Ruto will thereafter deliver a keynote speech on shared climate solutions at the Smithsonian, discussing global environmental challenges and collaborative efforts to address them. The day concludes with a State dinner at the White House.
On Friday, May 24, he will conclude his visit with engagements focusing on trade, investment, and digital cooperation.