President William Ruto has disclosed that he received a message of condolence from King Charles III of the United Kingdom following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga two months ago.
In a statement on Thursday, December 18, 2025, Ruto said the message was delivered at State House, Nairobi, by the United Kingdom’s Chargé d’Affaires, Ed Barnett. The King expressed his personal sense of loss and conveyed condolences to Odinga’s family and the people of Kenya.
“The King expresses his sense of loss and condoles with the family of the Rt Hon Odinga and the people of Kenya,” Ruto stated.
King Charles noted that he had known Odinga for his “steadfast leadership, willingness to build democratic consensus, open-mindedness, and deep concern for the plight of ordinary people,” attributes that defined the former prime minister’s long political career.
During the meeting, President Ruto and the UK envoy also reflected on the state of bilateral relations between Kenya and the United Kingdom, which have been strengthened following the signing of a strategic partnership agreement in July last year.
Ruto said the partnership had already yielded tangible economic gains, with trade volumes between the two countries rising from £1.3 billion (about KSh224 billion) to £2 billion (about KSh345 billion).
“We noted with satisfaction the strong Kenya–UK relations, which have been enhanced by the signing of a strategic partnership last July,” Ruto said.
Barnett reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to supporting Kenya’s development agenda, particularly through the proposed National Infrastructure Fund. He said the UK stands ready to provide technical experts to work with Kenya in establishing the fund.
Ruto said the National Infrastructure Fund would play a critical role in expanding the country’s infrastructure, including the ambitious Nairobi Railway City project. The initiative, a joint programme between Kenya and the UK, is expected to transform Nairobi into “a modern, green and vibrant transport hub,” while boosting urban renewal and economic growth.
Ruto said the discussions reflected the depth of cooperation between the two countries and Kenya’s continued engagement with international partners in driving development and honouring the legacy of leaders who shaped the nation’s democratic journey.
