- President William Ruto's administration has proven to need more experience in navigating international politics and dynamics
- Under the head of state, Kenya has been forced to apologise or work on a knife's edge when dealing with current and past allies
- In this listicle, TUKO.co.ke looks into some of the blunders by government officers, forcing Kenya to apologise or struggle to mend relations
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Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Nairobi - President William Ruto has been accused by the opposition and other civil groups of globetrotting at the expense of the country.
However, Ruto gained much-needed international recognition during his travels and even navigated international politics.
Despite his new-found international exposure, the president has continued to make friends and threaten long-standing allies in Africa.
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His close allies have also not made matters better and, in some cases, have been forced to apologise to friendly nations for their utterances.
TUKO.co.ke highlighted some of the diplomatic tiffs that have erupted in Ruto's two years in office below;
1. Sudan Vs Kenya
The relationship between Kenya and Sudan has again taken a hit following action by the head of state.
Sudan junta leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan openly rejected the Kenyan leader's mediation role in the ongoing conflict with his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, aka Hemedti's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.
Burhan rejected mediation by a quartet of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) led by Ruto.
Ruto's attempt to prove his impartiality against accusations of close business ties with Hemedti has been futile despite Burhan not providing evidence to support his claims.
Amidst the stalemate, the Sudanese military issued a defiant challenge to Ruto, who said he was willing to send troops to help end the conflict.
On Friday, January 5, Sudan's Foreign Minister Ali Al-Sadiq recalled their ambassador for consultations in protest of Ruto's meeting with Hemedti.
2. Morocco Vs Kenya
Ruto seemingly made a U-turn over his move to cut diplomatic ties with the Sahrawi Democratic Republic (SADR).
On Wednesday, September 15, 2022, moments after receiving a congratulatory message from His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Ruto took to X, saying Kenya had revoked recognition of SADR as an independent state.
“At State House in Nairobi, received a congratulatory message from His Majesty King Mohammed VI. Kenya rescinds its recognition of the SADR and initiates steps to wind down the entity’s presence in the country,” read the deleted post.
The SADR is a partially-recognised state agitating for total independence from Morocco. It was colonised by the Spanish from 1884 to 1976.
3. Rwanda Vs Kenya
While on Citizen TV on Monday, December 18, Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen stated that the neighbouring country cannot be compared to Kenya due to its small size, political situation, and democracy.
He added that Rwanda is an autocratic state where everything the president says automatically becomes law.
"Rwanda is not like Kenya. Rwanda is an autocracy, and whatever the president says is the law. You cannot compare the political situation in Rwanda and the size of the country with our country and our democracy," said Murkomen.
The Principal Secretary in the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Korir Sing'oei, moved to underscore the good bilateral relations between Kenya and Kigali following Murkomen's emotive sentiments.
4. Uganda Vs Kenya
Kenya's closest ally in the region since independence, Kenya's relationship with Uganda has been on a knife's age.
Uganda sued Kenya at the East African Court of Justice to seek redress in the disputed oil importation deal.
Court documents submitted through Uganda's Attorney General claim that Kenya had blocked the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) from granting it a licence to import oil through Mombasa Port.
The landlocked country stated that the government-to-government oil deal signed with the Kenya Kwanza administration in early 2023 permitted them to import oil through the Kenya Pipeline Limited Company.
5. DR Congo Vs Kenya
Kenya and DRC differed diplomatically after the latter's opposition leader, Corneille Nangaa, issued a sensational statement in Nairobi.
Following the development, the latter recalled its ambassador, John Kalunga, from Nairobi.
The Kenyan government denied its involvement in the activities of the Congo River Alliance, which Congolese politicians and groups, including the M23 rebels, launched in Nairobi.
Why US envoy praised Ruto
In other news, Ruto was hailed for his effort to foster democracy and peace in the Horn of Africa.
During a meeting with Ruto with his envoy led by Foreign Affairs CS Alfred Mutua, US State Secretary Anthony Blinken recognised the president's effort toward mitigation of the after-effects of climate change and his call to nations to adopt mechanisms for climate change interventions.
Further, the US chief bureaucrat thanked Ruto for making strides in reviving the economy, promising him continued support.
"We deeply value the strong steps that you're taking to strengthen Kenya's democracy and strengthening the economy. We will continue to have our strong partnership," said Blinken.
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