{"id":160749,"date":"2026-04-21T15:59:57","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T15:59:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/ruto-engages-kenyans-in-italy-with-humor-and-policy"},"modified":"2026-04-21T16:50:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T16:50:08","slug":"ruto-engages-kenyans-in-italy-with-humor-and-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/ruto-engages-kenyans-in-italy-with-humor-and-policy","title":{"rendered":"Ruto Engages Kenyans in Italy with Humor and Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

What You Need to Know<\/h4>\n

During his state visit to Italy, President William Ruto engaged Kenyans in the diaspora by referencing the viral phrase “pawa,” drawing laughter and applause. He used humor to highlight serious energy policy goals, emphasizing the need for increased electricity generation as part of Kenya’s development agenda while strengthening ties with Italian leaders and investors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Africa-Press – Kenya. <\/strong> <\/span>President William Ruto turned a familiar Kenyan phrase into a moment of connection with the diaspora during his ongoing State Visit to Italy, drawing laughter and applause as he referenced the now-viral \u201cpawa\u201d phrase.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Kenyans living in Italy, Ruto playfully asked: \u201cHave you heard about power?\u201d; a line that immediately sparked laughter from the crowd, many of whom responded in unison, clearly recognising the reference.<\/p>\n

The “pawa” phrase has in recent weeks gained traction online and in political circles after ODM party leader Oburu Oginga used it in a public address.<\/p>\n

Since then, it has evolved into a meme widely shared by Kenyans, often used humorously to describe influence, authority, or political energy.<\/p>\n

Ruto leaned into the moment, acknowledging its popularity before linking it to a more serious theme \u2014 energy and development.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have heard my friend saying we cannot stay without power,\u201d he said, prompting another round of laughter as the audience related to the now-familiar phrase.<\/p>\n

But the president quickly shifted tone, using the humour to underline a policy message.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is why we must generate at least 10,000 megabytes of energy,\u201d he added, drawing attention to the government\u2019s focus on expanding electricity generation and energy access.<\/p>\n

The remarks came as part of his engagement with the Kenyan diaspora during a three-day State Visit to Italy, where he is holding high-level talks and seeking investment opportunities.<\/p>\n

The remark underscored the government\u2019s broader push to expand energy capacity as part of its development agenda, positioning a reliable power supply as key to industrialisation and investment.<\/p>\n

During the visit, Ruto has been meeting Italian leaders and investors to strengthen bilateral ties, with a focus on trade, infrastructure, and strategic partnerships.<\/p>\n

He is also engaging Kenyans living abroad to discuss their role in national development and recognise their contribution to the economy.<\/p>\n

For many in the room, the moment captured a blend of home and abroad, a Kenyan leader speaking in a foreign capital, yet referencing conversations, jokes, and realities that resonate back home.<\/p>\n

The laughter that followed his remarks was not just about the joke itself but also the recognition it carried.<\/p>\n

Kenya’s diaspora plays a crucial role in the country’s economy, contributing significantly through remittances and investments. The government has increasingly sought to engage Kenyans abroad, recognizing their potential to support national development. President Ruto’s visit to Italy is part of a broader strategy to strengthen bilateral relations and attract foreign investment, particularly in energy and infrastructure sectors. The use of humor in political discourse has become a popular tool for leaders to connect with citizens, both at home and abroad.<\/p>\n

Find more news and analyses on Kenya<\/span> on the Africa Press<\/span> website<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What You Need to Know During his state visit to Italy, President William Ruto engaged Kenyans in the diaspora by referencing the viral phrase “pawa,” drawing laughter and applause. He used humor to highlight serious energy policy goals, emphasizing the need for increased electricity generation as part of Kenya’s development agenda while strengthening ties with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":160748,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,12],"tags":[16057,16059,544,16058,312],"class_list":["post-160749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-policy","tag-energy-policy","tag-italian-diaspora","tag-kenya","tag-state-visit","tag-william-ruto"],"yoast_head":"\nRuto Engages Kenyans in Italy with Humor and Policy - kenya<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"President Ruto connects with Kenyans in Italy, blending humor and serious energy policy during his state visit.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/ruto-engages-kenyans-in-italy-with-humor-and-policy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ruto Engages Kenyans in Italy with Humor and Policy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"President Ruto connects with Kenyans in Italy, blending humor and serious energy policy during his state visit.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/ruto-engages-kenyans-in-italy-with-humor-and-policy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"kenya\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-21T15:59:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-21T16:50:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/kenya\/sites\/28\/2026\/04\/sm_1776789700.990642.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1728\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1174\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/ruto-engages-kenyans-in-italy-with-humor-and-policy#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/ruto-engages-kenyans-in-italy-with-humor-and-policy\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Ruto Engages Kenyans in Italy with Humor and Policy\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-21T15:59:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-21T16:50:08+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/ruto-engages-kenyans-in-italy-with-humor-and-policy\"},\"wordCount\":522,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/ruto-engages-kenyans-in-italy-with-humor-and-policy#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/kenya\/sites\/28\/2026\/04\/sm_1776789700.990642.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"energy policy\",\"Italian diaspora\",\"Kenya\",\"state visit\",\"William Ruto\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"policy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/ruto-engages-kenyans-in-italy-with-humor-and-policy#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/ruto-engages-kenyans-in-italy-with-humor-and-policy\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/all-news\/ruto-engages-kenyans-in-italy-with-humor-and-policy\",\"name\":\"Ruto Engages Kenyans in Italy with Humor and Policy - 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