William Ruto has condemned the widening impact of the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, warning that attacks across the Middle East threaten global stability.
In a statement on Monday, the Kenyan president said his government “strongly condemns the strikes” reported in several countries in the region, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain.
“It is evident that the regionalisation of this conflict poses a grave threat to international peace and security,” he said, calling for urgent engagement among global and regional actors to reduce tensions.
Kenya has historically positioned itself as an advocate of diplomatic solutions to international disputes, frequently supporting multilateral approaches and international law in global affairs.
Officials in Nairobi have also sought to strike a careful balance, as the East African nation maintains strong economic and strategic ties with several Middle Eastern states. Thousands of Kenyans work in the Gulf region, while trade links between Kenya and those countries remain significant.
Opposition figures in Kenya have responded with mixed reactions to the government’s stance.
Some leaders have questioned whether authorities are doing enough to prepare for possible economic consequences if the conflict intensifies. Others have urged the government to communicate more clearly about contingency plans for Kenyans living and working abroad.
Analysts say that although Kenya is geographically far from the conflict, it remains economically connected to the region through trade, labour migration and energy markets.
Business owners in Kenya say the first economic impacts are already being felt.
Vincent Kipngeno, a logistics entrepreneur based in Nairobi who exports horticultural products to Gulf markets, said rising fuel prices were beginning to affect operations.
“We are already feeling the pressure,” he said.
According to Mr Kipngeno, increases in fuel costs are pushing up the price of transporting goods, running cold storage facilities and paying for air freight.
“Our trucks, cold storage and flights all depend on fuel, so when oil prices spike because of war in the Middle East, the expenses hit us right away,” he said.
He added that uncertainty over shipping routes and airspace could further disrupt exports to the Gulf.
“The Gulf is a key market for Kenyan exporters. If the conflict escalates, delays and higher insurance costs will follow,” he said.
“For businesses like ours, even the possibility of escalation forces companies to rethink contracts, schedules and pricing — and in the end it is Kenyan consumers who start paying more.”
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