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Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Somaliland Irro's Nairobi meetings span recognition, Horn issues
Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro on Monday met with Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga, at his Nairobi residence, in the latest push by the breakaway region seeking recognition of its independence. Mr Odinga issued a brief statement confirming that he and his wife, Ida, had received President Irro and his delegation. The visiting team included cabinet ministers and representatives from Somaliland's liaison office in Kenya. No further details were provided on the nature of the discussions.'I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the esteemed African statesman, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, for the gracious farewell dinner hosted in my honour and that of my delegation,' Mr Irro said.'Your unwavering support for Somaliland's aspiration to claim its rightful place among the community of nations is deeply appreciated. Your leadership and steadfast commitment to Africa's unity and development continue to inspire us all. Together, we remain dedicated to a future of peace, recognition, and shared prosperity.'Mr Odinga has previously voiced his support for the region and his family is said to have close contacts with some Somaliland politicians, including former president Muse Bihi. The two leaders also discussed the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape of the Horn of Africa, emphasising the importance of African-led solutions and inclusive development."This meeting reaffirmed the enduring friendship, mutual respect and shared democratic values that have long bound Somaliland and Kenya," said the Somaliland presidency.'He [President Irro] lauded Odinga's enduring commitment to justice, dignity, and the pursuit of self-determination, which has elevated Somaliland's profile on continental and global stages,' Igeh said. Irro: Somaliland is open to trade, innovation and dialogueA key power broker in East Africa, Odinga has never shied away from publicly backing Somaliland's sovereignty, often urging the African Union to confront the political reality in the Horn of Africa."The AU needs to accept that it will never again be possible to reunite these two countries and recognise them as one," he declared in 2020. 'Somaliland is a reality the world has to live with.'This visit came after the opening of a Somaliland liaison office in Nairobi last week, despite Kenya's previous reluctance. It turned out that Kenya was uncomfortable with the labelling of the office as a diplomatic mission. Eventually, Somaliland simply named it a mission office. Last week, President Irro held a private meeting with President William Ruto, reportedly discussing bilateral cooperation in education, peace and security, economic integration, and governance. Although Ruto's office has not issued a formal statement, the meeting signalled Kenya's support for Somaliland amid rising regional tensions. © Copyright 2022 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Kenya's Martha Karua 'detained' in Tanzania ahead of Tundu Lissu court case
Leading Kenyan lawyer and the country's former Justice Minister Martha Karua says she has been detained in Tanzania after flying in for the court appearance of opposition leader Tundu said in a social media post that she had been detained at the main international airport and was awaiting deportation, along with two colleagues who had flown in with her. Tanzanian authorities have not yet commented. Tanzanian politician Lissu is due to appear in court on Monday after being charged with treason last month. Karua is a respected human rights advocate, and a vocal critic of what she calls "democratic backsliding" in East Africa. She has also been representing Ugandan opposition politician Kizza Besigye, who was kidnapped in Kenya last year and taken back to his home country to face treason charges. Like Lissu, he denies the charges, arguing that they are politically motivated. Could this be the end of the road for Lissu, Tanzania's great survivor?Karua served as Kenya's justice minister from 2005 to 2009, and was the running-mate of former Prime Minister Raila Odigna in his failed presidential bid in elections in 2022. She launched her own opposition party, the People's Liberation Party, earlier this spokesperson told AFP news agency that she was questioned for three hours at the airport in Tanzania's main city Dar es Salaam, and her passport was said she was now awaiting deportation along with fellow Kenyan lawyer Gloria Kimani, and human rights campaigner Lynn Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition condemned what it called the "arbitrary arrest" of the three, and said it had instructed its lawyers to try and secure their added that it was shocked by the detentions, as Karua had been allowed into Tanzania to observe proceedings when Lissu appeared in court on 15 April. Human rights groups have been increasingly concerned about a crackdown on the opposition in Tanzania ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections due in October. Lissu, the leader of the main opposition Chadema party, cannot seek bail because he has been charged with treason, a crime for which the maximum sentence is death. He survived an assassination attempt in 2017 after being shot 16 opposition leader was arrested in April after he held a rally under under the slogan "No Reforms, No Election".He is demanding sweeping changes, saying Tanzania's current laws do not allow for free and fair elections. The government denies the allegation. Since his arrest, his Chadema party has been barred from contesting the October poll after it refused to to comply with the electoral commission's requirement to sign a code of document requires parties and their supporters to "behave well", and to "maintain peace and harmony" during the sees the code of conduct as a ploy to contain the opposition, and for state repression will CCM party, which has governed Tanzania since 1977, is expected to retain power following the latest Samia Suluhu Hassan is expected to be its presidential candidate. She was widely praised for giving Tanzanians greater political freedom when she took office in 2021 following the death of the incumbent, John critics say Tanzania is once again seeing the repression that characterised Magufuli's rule. The government denies the allegation. More BBC stories on Tanzania: Why Samia's hesitant reforms are fuelling Tanzanian political anger'Manhandled and choked' - Tanzanian activist recounts abduction Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Arab News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Kenya is ‘in total disarray': opposition candidate Martha Karua
NAIROBI: Martha Karua, among the first to declare a run for the Kenyan presidency in 2027, told AFP the country is in 'total disarray' due to corruption, police killings and economic decline. Karua served in government in the 2000s and, as a lawyer, has lately represented jailed opposition figures in neighboring Tanzania and Uganda. She hopes to harness the 'anger and frustration' against Kenya's President William Ruto, which spilt onto the streets last year in mass protests against tax rises and corruption. 'We are in total disarray. It's as if our constitution has been suspended,' she told AFP in an interview in Nairobi. 'We have abductions, arbitrary arrests... extrajudicial killings... And the police and authorities fail to take responsibility.' Rights groups say at least 60 people were killed during the protests in June and July, and at least 89 abducted since then, with 29 still missing. Police deny involvement, but there has been limited progress in investigating the incidents. 'Ruto was a great mistake right from the start. Those of us who have worked with him and know him, knew that he would be a disaster,' said Karua. A spokesman for the presidency said abductions and killings were strictly a police matter. Karua ran against Ruto in the 2022 election as the vice presidential candidate on a ticket with veteran leader Raila Odinga. She is now part of a broad grouping of opposition figures manoeuvring for the next vote in 2027. Her first priority would be to 'plug the leakages' and bring Kenya's debt under control, she said. Massive borrowing has left Kenya with some $85 billion in debt, forcing it to pay more in interest payments than it does on health and education. 'Fighting corruption is the only lifeline we have,' Karua told AFP. '(Otherwise) whatever we collect, whatever we borrow, will still be lost and we will never be able to pull Kenyans out of their misery.' Karua was justice minister in the mid-2000s under late president Mwai Kibaki. She said that government had led a successful push against corruption, though admitted that it 'did come back toward the end.' Karua resigned from that government in 2009, accusing some of her colleagues of opposing reforms. Now, Karua finds herself aligned with several opposition figures that have shady reputations. When asked, she did not deny it, but said: 'The task of dislodging a government that does not play by the rules is a mammoth task. We need all hands.' She added it was up to the public to choose 'the most competent and suitable' to lead the opposition into the election. Karua worries about unrest and rigging in 2027, however. Previous elections have been marred by extreme violence. Ruto himself was charged by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity over violence that erupted after the 2007 vote. The case was eventually dropped for lack of evidence, with the court citing witness intimidation and political meddling. Karua accused Ruto of hiring gangs of 'thugs' for a recent rally in Nairobi — to 'sort out anybody who appears to either boo or jeer' — which led to huge numbers of muggings and violent attacks on passers-by. 'I know it will get worse. They will use public coffers at the expense of vital services like health, education and security,' she said. The presidency spokesman said Ruto 'never hires or pays people to attend his public meetings.' 'Martha Karua and her team created a similar lie in the run up to the last election,' the spokesman said. 'They lost it because they believed in their own lies. They are headed for a similar and more resounding defeat.' But Karua claimed the president will make the upcoming election 'nasty.' 'The only way we can overcome Ruto's manipulation of the electoral system is to have a flood of votes, overwhelming numbers which no amount of manipulation can work on,' she said.
Zawya
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Kenya: Ambassador Guo Haiyan Paid a Courtesy Call On Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga
On March 24, H.E. Amb. Guo Haiyan paid a courtesy call on Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, former Prime Minister of Kenya and Party Leader of the Orange Democratic Movement. Minister Counselor Zhou Zhencheng, Cabinet Secretary for The National Treasury and Economic Planning Hon. FCPA John Mbadi, were present at the meeting. The two sides exchanged views on carrying forward friendly traditions, strengthening practical cooperation, and promoting the continued steady growth of the China-Kenya relations. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of Kenya.
Bloomberg
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Kenya's Ruto Teams Up with Odinga to Consolidate Grip on Power
Kenyan President William Ruto signed a power-sharing agreement with opposition leader Raila Odinga on Friday, months after deadly anti-government protests shook the nation. The political pact will see the president and his former rival — who lost the 2022 elections — work together 'to ease the prevailing tensions in the country, reconcile the population,' Odinga said at the event in Nairobi.
