Speaking during a mining summit held in Nairobi the Head of State said the remarks were taken out of context stressing that he had been speaking informally to fellow citizens and did not anticipate the exchange would become public.
I was misquoted.
I hope there will be no consequences Ruto said with a light tone prompting laughter from attendees at the event.
The clarification comes days after sections of the public and online commentators reacted strongly to the President’s earlier comments in which he appeared to draw comparisons between English usage in Kenya and Nigeria.
The remarks quickly went viral triggering discussions on social media platforms about language, diplomacy and the appropriateness of informal presidential conversations being recorded and shared publicly.
In his explanation Ruto emphasized that the conversation was private in nature and not intended for official communication or public interpretation.
He suggested that the circulation of the recording distorted the original context in which the remarks were made.
During the same address the President also took a moment to extend greetings to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu referring to Nigerians as his in laws a phrase that was received with amusement by the audience.
The comment appeared to underscore the cordial relations between Kenya and Nigeria both key players in African diplomacy and economic cooperation.
The incident has once again raised questions about the boundaries between private and public speech for high-ranking officials in the digital age where informal remarks can quickly become viral content.
Analysts note that such situations are increasingly common as recordings from private or semi-private settings often circulate widely shaping public perception and sometimes prompting official clarifications.
While Ruto sought to downplay the controversy the episode has continued to generate discussion online with varying interpretations of both the original remarks and his subsequent clarification.
As the conversation unfolds attention remains on how political leaders manage informal communication in an era where almost any statement can be captured, shared and scrutinized within minutes.