William Ruto praises US Ambassador Godec for being ‘loyal’

Deputy President, William Ruto today received Kenya Airways Boeing 787-8 dreamliner when it landed at the Jomo Kenyatta Airport at 9:15 am after completing the maiden trip from Kenya to the US.

The Deputy President and other Kenyans welcomed the delegation led by Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Monica Juma who was one of the passengers in the inaugural flight.

Speaking after he received the flight at JKIA, Deputy President, William Ruto thanked everyone who played a role in making history happen.

“I want to thank the men and women who made this possible and single out Bob Godec who has taken this flight to and fro.”

The Deputy President recognized the US Ambassador to Kenya who chose to fly back in the Dreamliner after most passengers who left Nairobi on Sunday evening opted to take the Wednesday flight back instead.

Ambassador Bob Godec described the flight as a thrilling experience saying that it was an epic 36 hours.

https://twitter.com/BobGodec/status/1057290411104976896

“I know this flight is going to make new things possible — new business deals, new trade, new investment, more opportunities for students to come from the United States to Kenya, and Kenya to the United States,” said Godec.

The flight left Nairobi for New York on Sunday at about 11.20 pm with 234 passengers, including government officials, KQ Chairman Michael Joseph and US Ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec. The plane landed at the John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday at 2.45 pm Kenya time (7.44a m New York time) where it received the ceremonial water salute.

Deputy President William Ruto described the direct flight between Kenya and the United States as a game changer saying that the 15-hour flight reduces the journey between Nairobi and New York by over 7 hours.

According to Ruto, the new route will strengthen Kenya’s position as a regional hub for business, situate her as the gateway to East and Central Africa, boost the aviation industry and open new horizons for Kenyans.

He added that the direct flights to the US is expected to enhance trade, investment, tourism and deepen people-to-people relations between Kenya and America.

The launch of the direct flight to the US is expected to attract more US corporations into the Kenyan market adding to the already over forty that have set base in Nairobi as their Africa headquarters.

The direct flight is also expected to increase tourist traffic to Kenya with the government projecting that it will bring in more corporate and high-end tourists.

 

Would you take the 15-hour flight to the US or do you prefer the connection flights?

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