Biden pulls out all the stops for Kenya’s leader with largest state dinner of presidency so far

It has been nearly two decades since an African leader was feted with an official state visit to Washington but the White House rolled out the red carpet for Kenyan President William Ruto on Thursday with the largest state dinner of the Biden presidency.

Around 500 guests have been invited to the state dinner, the sixth hosted by President Joe Biden, with former president Bill Clinton, former First Lady, New York senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, and Star Trek: The Next Generation actor LeVar Burton joining Pesident Ruto and his wife, Rachel Ruto, as guests of honor.

Other notable guests include the commissioners of the National Football League and National Basketball Association, Roger Goodell and Adam Silver, as well as Alex Soros, the son of financier George Soros, who is attending with a former aide to Ms Clinton, Huma Abedin.

It is the first state visit by a leader from the African continent since president of Ghana, John Kufour, was hosted by former president George W Bush in 2008.

According to White House officials, Mr Biden’s aim for hosting Mr Ruto is to shore up bilateral ties with Nairobi, as Kenya increasingly becomes a major player both in Africa and globally.

The evening will begin with a cocktail reception for guests on the White House terrace before the diners will be invited into a transparent pavilion that has been erected on the White House lawn, according to White House Social Secretary Carlos Elizondo.

He said the pavilion walls will feature more than 1,000 candles, a suspended centerpiece with 15,000 layered reflective metallic strips meant to amplify the candlelight, and views of the Washington Monument.

There, they will feast on a seasonal menu