During President William Ruto’s state visit to the United States, a light-hearted moment occurred when the Kenyan leader met NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta.
The 7-foot-tall basketball star’s presence dwarfed the rest of the people in the room, including President Ruto, who was visibly awed by O’Neal’s towering height.
In a video that has since gone viral, President Ruto can be seen excitedly shaking O’Neal’s hand and placing his other hand on the athlete’s shoulder, stunned by the size difference. The president kept looking up at the former NBA champion as they briefly engaged in friendly banter.
The encounter between the two giants quickly became the talk of social media, with many Kenyan leaders, including Aaron Cheruiyot, Kimani Ichung’wah, and Aden Duale, taking turns to pose for pictures with O’Neal. The excitement was palpable as camera lights flashed across the room, capturing the historic moment.
President Ruto’s state visit to the US marks the first such visit by a Kenyan leader in 16 years. The four-day trip aims to attract trillions of shillings in investment to Kenya, with trade negotiations and business deals worth over $20.5 billion (KSh 2.69 trillion) expected to take center stage.