Ambassador Meg Whitman vows to stay put amid online backlash

Whitman has been a target of criticism for the past two years over her perceived “meddling” in Kenya’s domestic affairs and her outspoken support for President William Ruto.

Last year, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga publicly criticized Whitman for describing the 2022 presidential election as ‘the most free and credible’ and called her a ‘rogue’ ambassador.

"Tell the rogue ambassador that Kenya is not the United States and Kenya is not a colony of the United States," Raila said during the devolution conference.

"Keep your mouth shut when you are here; otherwise, we will call for your recall,” Raila said.

Whitman, who was present at the Bomas of Kenya in 2022 during the election results announcement, has since become a staunch ally of President Ruto.

She has praised him as ‘strong, smart, strategic, and someone who gets things done’, drawing accusations that Ruto is Whitman’s ‘puppet’ and, by extension, Washington's.

In response to the criticism, Whitman stated that, like all US ambassadors, she is serving at the request of the President of the United States.

“The American people have spoken and a new president will be inaugurated in January. Meanwhile, my team and I continue to work on advancing our nations' shared goals of increased prosperity, security, and respect for democratic values,” she said.

Whitman emphasised the long-standing and strong relationship between the United States and Kenya, noting that the partnership has grown over the past 60 years and enjoys broad support from political leaders in both countries.

"Our relations have never been stronger and I am confident this trajectory will continue," she added.