President William Ruto’s State Visit to the United States of America commenced on a remarkable note with the Kenyan Head of State boarding a chartered Boeing Business Jet for the first time, eschewing the nation’s customary Air Force One, a Fokker 70 ER.

This strategic move was intended to facilitate fewer refuelling stops along the 13809.78-kilometre journey as the Boeing 737-700 BBJ boasts a larger fuel capacity and superior range compared to its predecessor. However, this luxury comes at a steep cost, with Kenyan taxpayers expected to bear an expense of approximately Sh2.4 million ($18,000) for every hour of flight during Ruto’s nearly weeklong visit. The Boeing 737-700 BBJ, manufactured by the Abu Dhabi-owned Royaljet LLC, offers a lavish travel experience with 23 VVIP seats, a lounge area, a bedroom equipped with a queen-sized bed, a conference area, business class seating, and a wifi-enabled video-on-demand in-flight entertainment system.

Upon arrival at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday evening, President Ruto’s itinerary will commence with a visit to the Carter Presidential Library and Museum where he is expected to emphasize the importance of democratic values and anti-corruption efforts. He will also pay homage to the civil rights movement at the Ebenezer Baptist Church. In addition to meeting with Kenyan diaspora communities, Ruto will visit Spelman College and Coca-Cola headquarters on Tuesday, followed by a dinner engagement with the Mayor of Atlanta. On Wednesday, the President will travel to Washington DC for ceremonial honours meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus and the Senate. Thursday’s agenda includes a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery and a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden.

Before attending a state dinner on Friday, President Ruto will participate in various engagements, including a breakfast meeting hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce to discuss trade matters, a digital roundtable with US Vice President Kamala Harris, and a visit to the Pentagon. The Kenyan delegation accompanying the Head of State comprises 30 delegates including notable figures such as Butita, an entertainer, as well as Wandia Gichuru and Chebet Mutai, founders of Vivo Fashion Group and Wazawazi, respectively.

While the nation’s leader embarks on this diplomatic mission, the plight of Kenya’s youth seeking employment opportunities remains a stark contrast. Kenyan non-governmental organization The Youth Agenda has announced that it had received an overwhelming 3,000 applications for just two internship positions in Finance and Administration or Monitoring and Evaluation. The organization has consequently ceased accepting further submissions and will proceed with shortlisting candidates and providing feedback in the coming weeks. The hunt for employment in Kenya has become akin to a game of Russian Roulette, with thousands of jobless youths vying for a handful of positions. In March, the Public Service Commission advertised less than 1,000 job openings which garnered over 50,000 applications from hopeful candidates.

While the official unemployment rate stands at 5.6% according to Statista, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reports that the country created over 848,200 new job opportunities in 2023 alone, with employment opportunities rising from 19.1 million in 2022 to 20.0 million in 2023 across both modern and informal sectors. The 2024 Economic Survey Report by the KNBS further reveals that wage employment in the modern sector increased by 4.1%, resulting in the creation of 122.8 thousand new jobs in 2023. Conversely, the informal sector witnessed the creation of 720.9 thousand new jobs, accounting for 85.0% of all new jobs created during the same period. Interestingly, while the number of primary school teachers decreased from 221,510 in 2022 to 219,727 in 2023, other levels of education experienced an increase in the number of teachers.