Latest news with #KenyanNationalAssembly
Ya Biladi
26-05-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Kenya's Foreign Minister visits Morocco
Morocco and Kenya are poised to deepen their bilateral ties. Since Sunday, Kenya's Foreign Minister, Musalia Mudavadi, has been on a three-day official visit to the kingdom, according to a statement from Kenya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On Monday, he will hold talks in Rabat with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita. This visit will be marked by the official opening of Kenya's embassy in Morocco. On Sunday, May 25, Mudavadi met with Ambassador Jessica Gakinya. «Our discussions focused on narrowing the existing trade imbalance by enhancing exports of Kenyan tea and coffee to Morocco. While our imports, mainly fertilizers and other key commodities stand at KSh 12 billion, our exports remain significantly lower at just KSh 500 million. We explored practical strategies to boost the volume and diversity of Kenyan exports to foster a more balanced and mutually beneficial trade relationship», the minister wrote on X. «We also exchanged views on expanding cooperation in other strategic sectors, ahead of the anticipated signing of five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on Monday», he added. Kenya still recognizes the self-proclaimed «Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)». Moses Wetangula, Speaker of the Kenyan National Assembly, remains a key ally of the Polisario Front in Nairobi. He played a crucial role in President Ruto's reversal of his September 14, 2022, statement—which had announced Kenya's withdrawal of recognition of the «SADR»—issued on the very day of Ruto's inauguration. For over a decade, Morocco has been working to strengthen political and economic ties with African countries that continue to recognize the «SADR», including Ethiopia, Rwanda, Angola, Nigeria, and Tanzania. Ghana was also part of this group until it suspended ties with the Polisario on January 7. In 2027, Kenyans will head to the polls to elect a new president. The current president, William Ruto, won the 2022 election thanks in part to his alliance with Moses Wetangula's party.
Al Jazeera
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera English ‘Head to Head' interview with Kimani Ichung'wah, the Majority leader of the Kenyan National Assembly
Kimani Ichung'wah, the Majority leader of the Kenyan National Assembly and member of parliament, has labelled allegations that the police kidnapped and forcibly disappeared protesters in recent large scale demonstrations 'a conspiracy'. 'I do not believe there are enforced disappearances perpetuated by the state in Kenya,' Ichung'wah told Head to Head host Mehdi Hasan in front of a live audience at London's Conway Hall. Ichung'wah, a close ally of President Ruto, was asked to address violent crackdowns against demonstrators by Kenyan police and security services, particularly in June 2024 when thousands of young Kenyans took to the streets in protest of the governments' Finance Bill. According to the Kenya Human Rights Commission, since Ruto took office in 2022 there have been at least 63 civilian deaths, 65 forced disappearances, and over 1,400 unlawful detentions of protesters. Ichung'wah was pressed further by host Mehdi Hasan on specific allegations, including from former Attorney General Justin Muturi who says that his son was abducted by the National Security Services after joining the 2024 protests and eventually released after President Ruto intervened. 'I tell you emphatically he has reasons to lie,' Ichung'wah said. 'He's playing politics with a very unfortunate incident.' Ichung'wah went on to state that Muturi, who is now serving as Cabinet Secretary of Public Service and Human Capital Development, might soon be out of a job. 'Justin Muturi knows he's probably on his way out, Ichung'wah said. 'He definitely knows it.' During the interview, Ichung'wah was also asked to clarify his personal net worth after Junet Mohamed, the minority leader in Kenyan parliament, joked that he was worth 5 billion shillings or $38 million US dollars. 'Not 5 billion,' he said. 'Probably about close to 1 billion.' On the widespread criticism of Kenyan MPs flaunting their wealth online, Ichung'wah said, 'It's rather unfortunate. Nobody should do that'. 'Members of parliament in my party in the House who I see flaunting things that are not palatable with Kenyans, I tell them, 'Hey bro, this is not good,' he added. Hasan and Ichung'wah are joined by a panel of three experts: Awino Okech, Professor of Feminist and Security Studies at University of London-SOAS; Irungu Houghton, Executive Director of Amnesty International Kenya and Moses Langat, Kenya Community Leader in the Diaspora based in the UK.
