A diplomatic puzzle has emerged in Kenya after Italian billionaire Flavio Briatore posted on Instagram, seemingly revealing that President William Ruto visited Dubai for a private dinner, even as his official schedule placed him in Western Kenya.
On Wednesday, January 6, 2025, Briatore shared a photo at his luxury venue, Lion in the Sun at the Mandarin Oriental Downtown in Dubai, showing Ruto alongside healthcare tycoon Kamel Ghribi. Briatore described the gathering as an exclusive event, writing:
“Last night welcoming with Falco at Lion in the Sun Dubai, prestigious guests, President of Kenya William Ruto and entrepreneur Kamel Ghribi.”
The post, however, has raised eyebrows because local reports confirmed that Ruto was actively engaged in public duties in West Pokot and Kakamega counties on January 6 and 7.
Ruto’s Kenya Itinerary
On January 6, 2026, President Ruto toured Western Kenya, participating in high-profile events that included:
- West Pokot County: Announcing the upcoming Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) listing of Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) shares, encouraging citizens to invest, even with modest amounts of Ksh200–Ksh300.
- Kakamega County (Mumias): Launching the second phase of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project, co-funded by the World Bank, aimed at providing startup capital to nearly 50,000 youth entrepreneurs. Ruto personally oversaw the first disbursement of Ksh25,000 to beneficiaries.
- Speaking against drug abuse and illicit brews in preparation for a multi-agency meeting he chaired at State House, Nairobi, the following day.
The Dubai Timeline
Briatore’s post referencing “last night” raises questions about the timeline. If Ruto attended the dinner in Dubai, it implies he may have left Kenya on a discreet overnight flight after his daytime engagements, returning in time to fulfill official duties the following day.
The meeting reportedly centered on Kenya’s infrastructure initiatives. Kamel Ghribi, a Tunisian-Swiss entrepreneur, heads Gruppo San Donato, Italy’s largest private hospital group, while Briatore has longstanding business ties to Kenya, including luxury properties like the Billionaire Resort and Retreat and Lion in the Sun in Malindi. He has a history of facilitating high-level business discussions between Italian investors and the Kenyan government.
While the details of the Dubai visit remain unofficial, the post has sparked debate over transparency and diplomatic protocol. Analysts suggest the meeting may have been focused on investment and infrastructure opportunities, but its timing outside Kenya’s publicized itinerary has drawn significant public attention.
